PRIMARCHS
by Sakouya
Summary: Originally written by the Chaos God Emperor of Fankind Lastie. Includes multiple crossovers, graphic violence and blatant disregard for moral standards, the story has already been partially posted by Xenos Major but I'm posting the entire 191 chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_Cut to the interior of a warm pub on a backwater Daemonworld, where the average technology level is comparable to 12th century Europe, where soap is non existant and everyone still thinks the horse and cart is an awesome invention. Here we zoom in upon a table in corner, where several huge individuals dwarf the room and furniture as they chug back entire ale kegs and laugh with voices that shake the room._

Angron: "... and then I said to the Inquisitor 'Smite THIS!' and I cut his head off!" bangs on table, causing small earthquake in a nearby country that kills thousands

Fulgrim: "Just like the fifty thousand beforehand. Your capacity for imaginative decapitations must hold no bounds".

Angron: "... er ... why thank you".

Mortarion: "He's being sarcastic you simple-minded fool. You've wasted the last five decades with your endless talks on conquest".

Fulgrim: "Inelegant conquest, full of mindless slaughter - has no style at all".

Angron: "Well at least I'm doing something. What have you guys done for the last ten thousand years while Ezzie makes us all look bad with his Black Crusades?"

Perturabo: "Speaking of which, the last one sucked".

Magnus: "What did thou expect? It was the twelth sequel".

Lorgor: "They do tend to go downhill from Part 3 onwards ..."

Angron: "Like your books, what volume are we up to now?"

Lorgor: "Book 675,893,920,910".

Mortarion: "And the plot's still awful ..."

Lorgor: "They're religious teachings you pestilent philistine! As if you could compare those endless depressing poetry you write on your Planet of Smelly Emo's".

Mortarion: "No one understands me ..."

Magnus: "Looks like Konrad's postion as Fangirl Angst Fodder has been filled ..."

Fulgrim: "Has anyone may or may not have heard from Alpharious lately?"

Magnus: "He may or may not have sent me a warp-mail of update, I really can't say".

Angron: "He's as annoying as our loyalist brothers. Where the hell are most of them?"

Fulgrim: "I find it hard to believe the Imperium could misplace a Primarch ..."

Lorgar: "Well at least they're not doing anything to make us look bad".

Angron: "No, a first company captain's doing that fine by himself ..."

reflective silence

Mortarion: "We suck ..."

Fulgrim: "Thankyou Mr. Razor Blades to the Wrist. Magnus, want to say something to liven things up? Your patron God **is** the warp-spawned entity of Hope".

Magnus: "Well, with Apocalypse being released maybe we might get some attention, despite the latest Chaos Codex being devoted almost entirely to upstart newbies who wouldn't know their Daemonhost from their Chaos Spawn".

reflective silence

Angron: "Fat chance ... anyway, Lorgar it's your round".


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter two**_

Lorgar: placing six giant kegs of vaguely alcoholic liquids upon the table, which begins to groan under their combined weight "There we are gentlemen! Gore Ale for Angron ..."

Angron: "Ooh .. chunky bits!"

Lorgar: "Romulan Ale for Fulgrim ..."

Fulgrim: "So blue and pretty ... it brings out my eyes!"

Lorgar: "Butterbeer for Magnus ..."

Magnus: "With complimentary Hogwarts student! How adorable!" pops the kid in his mouth and begins chewing "Hmm ... magical angst goodness".

Lorgar: "Liquid T-1000 for Perturabo ..."

Perturabo: "Excellent, it can terminate the ulcer in my stomach ..."

Lorgar: "And Budweiser for Mortarion ..."

Mortarion: "Hmm ... so fil-"

Lorgar: "Careful, we're not immune to the Chaos God of Lawyers and his Greater Daemons of Sue".

Mortarion: "..."

Fulgrim: "And what did you get Logy boy?" [Author's Note: If you could try and imagine Fulgrim speaking and acting like the parody of Maximilian Pegasus from _Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Abridged Series_, you might get where I'm going with this]

Lorgar: "The blood of innocents, of course".

Angron: "And served with complimentary little Hawaiian umbrella".

Lorgar: "Erm ... it reminds me of my holiday ..."

Perturabo: "That explains the chains of flowers hanging around your neck - goes nicely with the bleeding skulls, by the way. How was it?"

Lorgar: "I'm still on it. An author needs to escape the trials of modern life to seek his muse, and my audience demands that I be in top form for my latest publication!"

Magnus: "What is it?"

Lorgar: "_Chaos For Dummies_, part of my contract with John Wiley & Sons, to spread true understanding of Chaos to the masses to counter the lies and propaganda of Ecclesiarch Merrett".

Angron: "Stuff Merrett, I want a piece of Blanche - his portrait made me look fat!"

Fulgrim: "But you are fat Angron dear ..."

Angron: "Size 56!"

Fulgrim: "Which is the new 89, everyone knows that".

before Angron could reply, the door bursts open to reveal the portrait of two immense figures, radiating sheer awesomeness out of every dent and hole in their ancient armour

Corax: "We've found them!"

Leman Russ: "MAGNUSS!!!"

Magnus: "RUSS!!"

Angron: "RUSS!!"

Russ: "ANGRON!!"

Lorgar: "Mortarion, Perturabo, Fulgrim, Corax, Russ, Magnus, Angron, myself. Now we're introduced ... again ..."

Russ: holding giant spear high above his head "TRUTH OF THE EMPEROR PURGE THE CORRU ... wait ... is this a pub?"

Fulgrim: "Yes Russy boy, want to join?"

Russ instantaneously appears next to everyone by the table with an immense keg of ale that dwarfs himself

Russ: "Why not. Been bloody ages since I got meself a drink. Canna feel me toes anymore, been fighin since I got ere and frankly cou do wit a drink! Buge up Magnus ya big lump and make way for Corax". [Author's Note: I'm so bad at writing a Scottish accent. )

Corax: "We really shouldn't ... oh maybe a little one".

Lorgar: "What about your self-imposed alcohol ban?"

Corax: winking "Nevermore".

Magnus: "If anyone's interested, that sound you're now hearing is Edgar Allan Poe spinning in his grave".

Russ: unleashing a massive belch "Who cares? MORE BEER!"

Lorgar: "Fulgrim's round ..."

Fulgrim: "Sorry, daddy cancelled my credit card after Istvaan".

?: "My round brothers!"

collective gasp

All: "Alpharious?!?!"

Mortarion: "Yes! I SOOO won that bet!"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

_Some time later ..._

Lorgar: "Well, it seems we've all managed by the wonder of narrative coincidence to end up together in the same pub on the same Daemon world, despite a fair number of us still declaring our loyalty to dear old Dad".

Russ: arm around his considerably larger brother Magnus, both quite drunk "AN' T'Y CALL'D IT ... PUPPEE LUVEE!!!"

Perturabo: two of his hands over his ears, the others occupying themselves with making a cocktail "If anyone wants to remind them of Preferred Enemy, by all means ..."

Rogal Dorn: "Russ, Magnus, stop singing. If your Legions could see you now ..."

Russ: "snif Legions ... talk aba't Legions laddy. Tha' tw't Guillim'n reduc'd mine to a piddly _Chapter_!!"

Dorn: "I want it down on record I said it was a stupid idea".

Lorgar: "As stupid as agreeing to a house of cards challenge with Perturabo when you only have one hand?"

Dorn: "Like hell I'm going to let him build a better house than me!"

Perturabo: "Look at this - gun turrets and a in-built Earthshaker cannon!! Beat that Dor-knob" leans down to stare at Dorn's effort "Is it a cottage?"

Dorn: "It's an impregnable fortress!"

Perturabo: "So that Nurgling is ... what? Not using that card there as a revolving door to walk in and out in a mocking gesture?"

Dorn: "Damn it! Mortarion - control your pets!!"

Mortarion: "How about this?  
_Oh my pain, it never ends,  
Burning within my tortured breast,  
Despair without end, without respite,  
eating within like a ravenous beast,  
Oh how I wish to die, to leave this world,  
to disappear without a trace ..._"

Corax: crying "So beautiful, it speaks of your heart ... how I feel it!"

Lorgar: on MSN Instant Scrying "Ezekyle, could we borrow Drach'nyen for a moment? No?" turns to Fulgrim "Where did you put Anathame?"

Fulgrim: "Screw swords, between Russ and Magnus' duo and Mortarion's poetry I believe the time is finally upon us ..."

Lorgar: "Indeed" turning back to the open chat-rune "when's the next Crusade?"

=================================

**ADVERTISMENT: **Catch Russ and Magnus' debut album _Dark Side of the Rune_, released in stores this month. Featuring their top ten singles "Puppy Love (I'm Just A Space Wolf)", "It's A Kind of Magic (Sorry About Your Webway Dad)", "Hey Jude (You Look Corrupted)", and the no. 1 "Wannabe (Your Primarch)". 


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter four**_

_Sometime later, between the Cadian Gate and the Daemonworld of Karagraxis Parodio, the great vessel _Vengeful Spirit III _(questions about the first two are frowned upon by the Establishment) hangs in deep space as the armada grows ..._

**Ezekyle Abaddon, Warmaster of Chaos, The Despoiler, Destroyer of Worlds, Cosmopoliton's No. 2 Most Eligible Bachelor 999.M41: **"See? Do you witness the power I command?"

**Angron: **"Impressive, indeed."

**Lorgor: **"I stand in awe ... truly none of us can match your abilities".

**Magnus:** "Did I not say to deny him Australia from the beginning?"

**Mortarion: **"_Risk _is stupid ... this game is just stupid ... Terra doesn't even look like that anymore. Where's the Imperial Palace?"

**Magnus: **"Europe".

**Mortarion: **"What ... _all of it_?"

**Lorgor:** "Someone help me ignore him, his stupidity has reduced my IQ to triple figures and its still falling ..."

**Angron:** "Pity we had to leave Corax and Leman behind".

**Lorgar:** shrug "They got free tickets in the post to Khan's gig in Commorragh - part of his Webway tour through all the major Dark Eldar cities".

**Angron:** "Who would have thought - our brother, Arena superstar".

**Perturabo: **"Feeling jealous?"

**Angron: **"Non-stop X-rated violence of the bone-snapping, flesh tearing, tendon-ripping, animalistic kind?"

**Perturabo: **"And that's just the after-game sex with the Wyches, I hear the actual concert content is even more hardcore".

**Magnus:** pulling out the brochure (in Eldar) and reading "X-treme painting ... hardcore philosophy ... and stand-up comedy banned in 15 galaxies and a demi-plane".

**Perturabo:** "Not what I expected from the Kabalite Eldar ... where's the spikes in philosophy?"

**Lorgar: **"When you make a good point?"

silence. A bird whistles

**Abaddon:** "Who summoned a Lord of Change?"

**Mangus: **"Ahriman's had it hidden in his pocket since turn one".

**Ahriman:** "It was supposed to give me tactical advice! Damn thing lied!"

**Lord of Change: **poking a small beaked head from within Ahriman's pouch "Sorry ... thought you were playing Monopoly".

**Ahriman:** "That explains why I can't find Park Lane ..."

footsteps echo throughout the chamber, heralding the approach of a large group of individuals

**Abaddon: **"Finally, the Mournival approaches!"

**Perturabo: **"I thought that was disbanded when everyone but you died?"

**Abaddon: **"I had their souls torn from the Warp and forcibly implanted in animated suits of armour. Kudos to Ahriman for the help, BTW".

**Ahriman: **"I'm getting good at it ..."

**Magnus: **"Hmm ..."

**Ahriman:** "Look I apologised, OK?"

**Magnus: **"Don't worry ... apology accepted. It was a kind gesture to give me J K Rowling's soul".

**Ahriman:** "Heard you were a _Harry Potter_ fan, so I thought ..."

**Abaddon: **"We don't care. Ahriman, your presence is needed in the Mournival"

**Lorgor: **"What about us?"

**Abaddon: **"We will be discussing minor issues not worthy of the ears of such great individuals. You can stay here and continue to sample the fine service of our ship's bar."

Abaddon and Ahriman leave

**Perturabo: **"Did we just get blown off?"

**Lorgor: **"Looks like it. Shall we demand to be present in the meeting by killing them all and offering their souls to the Gods?"

Fulgrim appears with drinks

**Fulgrim: **"New round boys!"

everyone looks at the drinks

**Perturabo: **"Maybe after this round ..."

**Lorgor: **"Maybe Mortarion's right ... we do suck ... we can't even stand up to a first company captain!"

**Mortarion: **"_Warmaster_ now Lorgor".

a great bright light blinds all, and a thunderous voice echoes throughout the bar causing all glasses to shatter, and all packets of crisps to be dropped in a shower of delicious food to the hungry Nurglings that cluster around the floor

**?**: "THERE WAS ONLY ONE WARMASTER! EZEKYLE ABADDON IS NOT HE!"

a shining figure appears, wings outstretched, his armour gleaming, and a large red cloak billows behind in an over-the-top manner

**Lorgor:** "Oh damn, it's you ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Indeed. Such a sorry state to see my brothers, back-stabbing lot you are, reduced to such a pitiful display. What would Horus say if he could see you now?"

**Fulgrim:** "'Next round's on me'?"

**Sanguinius: **"WRONG! HE WOULD DEMAND YOU TO STAND UP AND DECLARE YOUR NAME! FOR YOU ARE SONS OF THE EMPEROR - PRIMARCHS! GODS AMONGST MEN". reaches behind and retrives **the other Talon**, mysteriously absent from background fiction and the recent HH artwork "HORUS IS DEAD, AND IS NOT HERE! BUT IN HIS TALON - HE LIVES ON! ITS CLAWS POINT TOWARDS HEAVEN!" pulls down spiky red sunglasses "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?!?" [Author's note: this might be lost on a lot of people, but the homage was too amusing not to include]

**Mortarion: **"YES! FIGHT THE POWER!"

**Angron: **"ARMAGEDDON! ROUND TWO!"

**Magnus: **"FENRIS WILL BURN!!!"

**Lorgor: **"I CAN GET PUBLISHED OUTSIDE THE EYE DEMOGRAPHIC!!"

**Fulgrim: **"TO BE FREE OF THIS DAEMON!!"

**Perturabo: **"What Daemon?"

**Fulgrim: **"Apparently I've had one all along, and it's been possessing me".

**Perturabo: **"Since when?"

**Fulgrim: **"The new HH stuff. Yeah, caught me by surprise too".

**Perturabo: **"Oh, anyway ... TO DESTROY TERRA!!!"

door opens

**Abaddon: **"Guys, could you quiet it down a little? We're in a meeting next door".

**All: **"OK ..."

**Abaddon: **"Cheers".

door closes

**Sanguinius: **"You guys suck ..."

**Lorgar: **"Shut it pretty boy ..."

==============================================

**ADVERTISMENT: **Khan's Webway Tour - coming to a Dark City near you!! 


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

**Perturabo:** "Is it agreed then brothers? When the head-" wiggles the severed head of a poor unfortunate Thrall "-hits the table, we all stand and make our way to Abaddon's Auditorium and demand that we personally lead the final assault upon Cadia! Creed's head is every piece ours as it is his, for are we not gods amongst men? The original Pri ... what is it Magnus?"

**Magnus: **"I feel compelled to point out the innaccuracy of calling ourselves 'Gods'. Approaching the matter from a strictly scientific principle we are merely hyper-enhanced biological organisms built upon the base genetic profile culled from that of Homo Sapiens - Homo Sapia Primarus, I believe would be an accurate raping of the Latin language in the guise of 'High Gothic', which I feel compelled to point out only bears a passing resemblance to the Latin spoken by-"

**Angron: **"SNORE"

**Lorgar:** "Angron you don't **say** 'snore', you just snore ... like thus ..." snore

**Angron:** "Sorry, still getting used to this ... this ..."

**Lorgar:** "Sarcasm Angron. Best place to start learning the subtle art of wit, being the lowest form of".

**Angron:** "Ah ... sarkasm. Yeah. That thing".

**Mortarion: **"Why bother? Not like there's anything in his mind but hitting things with other things".

**Angron: **"Shut it emo boy".

**Perturabo: **"Angron, Mortarion, Lorgar, and especially you Magnus - shut it!" chuckling can be heard from beside Perturabo's huge Daemonic form "What?"

**Sanguinius: **"Sorry, I'm just basking in the combined Loser Rays eminating from all of you. It makes my skin ever so soft ..."

**Fulgrim: **"Oh let me feel ..." rubs Sanguinius' cheek "Ooh ..."

**Perturabo: **"Err ... yeah. Getting back on track ... let me rephrase myself: We are Primarchs! We led the Legions across the galaxy and reclaimed what was ours! We are generals without pier! Warriors without eq-... what is it Magnus?"

**Magnus:** "Erm ... just a little correction." Perturabo groans "In a recent poll conducted by _Time Magazine_, only five of us made it into the Top 10 of 'History's Greatest Generals'. Two of us in the top five".

**Perturabo: **"Oh, who was the top?"

**Magnus: **"Eldrad Ulthran".

**Perturabo: **"WHAT? But he doesn't even _lead!_ I can count on my un-daemonic spare hand the number of times he's got his hands dirty".

**Magnus: **"They say that it's because he doesn't risk the lives of his men by ensuring that they never get into wars is the reason why he won. They're quoting someone called 'Sun Zoo', or something, as proof".

**Perturabo: **"So they're saying the best way to do your job is to prevent there being a need for it?"

**Magnus: **"Essentially ... yes".

**Perturabo: **"... that's retarded. Moving back on topic, mainly because I'm getting tired of holding this head up, we're to storm in there and demand our jobs back-"

**Mortarion: **"From a first company captain ..."

**Perturabo: **slams head down onto the table, where it explodes "YES I KNOW HE'S A FIRST COMPANY CAPTAIN! HE'S NOT A PRIMARCH! HE'S NOT AN ALPHA-*******-LEVEL PSYKER! HE DOESN'T HAVE UNGODLY POWER AND STRENGTH AND CHARISMA AND EVERY-*******-THING UNDER THE BLACK SUN! I **KNOW**! But the point remains that somehow, by some sheer coincidence-"

**Magnus: **whispers "Will of Tzeentch"

**Perturabo: **"Will of Beaky Boy, by sheer unfair turn of events, Ezekyle 'This is not a ponytail - it's an expression' Abaddon is now in command of the Legions WE ONCE LED! While we sit here in this rather quaint Irish-style pub built onboard a Chaos-infested capital ship thirty-two thousand years after Ireland ceased existing (where's the logic _there?_) drowning our sorrows in cheap beer".

**Lorgar:** "And the real kicker is we can't get drunk".

**Alpharious:** "Not really fair is it?"

**Lorgar: **"Where did you come from?"

**Alpharious:** "I've been here all the time, I've just been masquerading as the banner at the top of the screen".

**Lorgar:** "Damn sneeky ..."

rap music starts up

**Lorgar:** "Oh crap ..."

**Perturabo: **"No .. not him"

**Alpharious: **"Chaos-damn-it!"

door swings open, and a huge figure stands in the doorway dressed in blue armour covered with stylish bling

**Roboute Guilliman: **"Hey bro's - what's up? How's my blood chilling, man?"

**Mortarion:** "Seriously who talks like that?"

**Guilliman: **"Do I detect some negativity from my little brother here? You know I don't stand for no negativity, not when I'm standing here being all awesome-like".

**Fulgrim: **"And the question must be asked - how **are** you standing there? The Daemon inside me is asking this ... not me ... I'm not in control of my body anymore ... thankyou McNeil ... grumble"

**Guilliman:** "Simple man - ain't no poison gonna be slowing me down. I'm too good for that, so I said 'Yo! Poison! Get out my body, man!' And the poison was all like 'wow - you Guilliman, you hardcore man!' And I'm like-"

**Fulgrim:** whispers to Lorgar "Get rid of him!"

**Lorgar: **"Why can't you?"

**Fulgrim: **"He's Graham McNeil's favourite Primarch! If I beat the crap out of him again next thing I know it won't just be a Daemonic sword possessing me, it'll be the scabbard, and the armour, and the bike! He'll make me the universe's plaything!"

**Lorgar: **"OK ... sigh HEY ROB!"

**Guilliman: **"and I'm like - yeah?"

**Lorgar: **"Abaddon's next door. He says the Codex Astartes is the biggest pile of crap he's ever read - worse than _The Inheritance Triology_".

**Guilliman: **"... HE WILL DIE!!!".

Guilliman punches through the wall and exits

**Lorgar: **"Simple and effective. Sorry Perturabo, you were saying?"

**Perturabo: **"I can't remember. Who's round is it now?"

all faces turn to Sangiunius

**Sanguinius: **"What? Oh that's great! Pick on the dead guy! _I can't even drink!!_"

**Lorgar: **"They do appletini's".

**Sanguinius: **"Who wants what?"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

After a rude interruption by the recovered Roboute 'Ultrapimp' Guilliman and the psychic projection of Sanguinius, our (anti)heroes now find themselves once again gathering the courage to ask a certain ex-first company captain if they could be let in on the fun ...

**Perturabo:** "Could someone scroll up and check what I said last Chapter? I forgot to control-c the text ..."

**Magnus: **"And you wonder why Ferrus didn't let you near his computer ..."

**Fulgrim: **"He didn't let _me_ go on it, and to think we used to be like this ..." twists his first two fingers around each other

**Lorgar: **"The mental images ... my head!"

**Angron: **"Allow me to extract them brother!"

**Lorgar: **"What in the Warp are you doing?!?!"

**Angron: **"It's just an axe ... won't hurt that much".

**Lorgar: **"It's not the axe I'm worried about, it's the Bloodthirster still holding onto it! Put it down, for the Gods' sake put it down!"

**Angron: **puts irate Bloodthirster down, who promptly runs off carving his way through thousands of unfortunately-placed ship thralls "Aww ... look at him go ... "

**Lorgar: **"For the love of ... anyway Fulgrim, if you remember Ferrus didn't particularly take well to the sites you visited and said content of that you downloaded".

**Fulgrim: **"I was just adding to the existing collection ... Ferrus' pron was dull and uninspiring ..."

**Lorgar: **"Yes ... perhaps ... but when the rest of us jokingly talk about rule thirty-four **none of us want to see it taken to such lengths!** I mean ... fruit, engine oil, zoatibix, and a squat?!? The mind boggles ..."

**Angron: **"That was one of the milder examples ... that one with the Eldar-"

**Lorgar: **"Lets not go there. Even /b/ was sickened by that. They've declared war on Gotto, though, which should give some amusing results ..."

**?: **"And the lulz shall be without comparison!"

**Lorgar: **"Speaking of the devil. Tick another one off Mort"

**Mortarion: **"Hey Ferrus, we're just waiting for Vulkan, Khan, Konrad and Lion to appear ..."

**Lorgar: **"It's your round by the way, Sanguinius paid up, Leman and Corax left some cash before the disappeared, and Alpharious stole Rob's wallet before he left to dish out some much-needed pimp vengeance on Ezekyle".

**Alpharious: **"I'm disturbed by the fact he has a picture of P Diddy in his wallet ..."

**Lorgar: **"Creepy ... anyway I thought you died at Istvaan? Seriously Fulgrim, can you actually kill anything properly?"

**Fulgrim: **"Do you know how difficult it is to kill something without blood staining these clothes? Do you know how much they cost?"

**Ferrus Manus: **"Relax Fulgrim. I cheated death by the power of retcon!"

**Lorgar: **"I'm sorry?"

**Ferrus: **"Fifth edition is upon us! Can you not feel the change in the air? Eager to capitalise on the success of the Horus Heresy product line, GW have recently announced a new summer campaign to coincide with the release of fifth Edition! They're brining us all back, releasing models and rules, and more plastic Space Marines!"

**Perturabo: **"Wait ... I do feel different. I feel ... like I have ... a characteristic profile!!"

**Angron: **swings sword "Weapon Skill 9? Not bad ... ah crap, the Avatar hits me on a 3+ ... how's that fair? Fulgrim punched one out in one shot!"

**Fulgrim: **"It's a Black Library novel, how many times have I told you I get stunt actors provided for major battles?"

**Magnus: **"Why aren't I immune to Perils? Where's the sense in that?"

**Lorgar: **"But you're a Gargantuan Creature!"

**Magnus: **"Which makes me immune to my own psychic powers!! FAQ GW?!?! DO YOU THINK WE CAN HAVE ONE NOW?!?!"

**Ferrus: **"I wouldn't bother. Dad's been asking them if he still has a backstory now for years ... haven't answered him yet".

**Magnus: **"A good point - where did the Sensei go?"

**Lorgar: **"Eaten by Tyranids?"

**Perturabo: **"So everyone's back?"

**Ferrus: **"Everyone".

**Perturabo: **"Including ... ?"

doors burst open (again ... they're probably used to this by now)

**Horus, Warmaster, Primarch of the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus/Black Legion/Whatever, Cosmopoliton's Sexiest Primarch of the Great Crusade 200 years in a row: **"BROTHERS!!!"

**All: **"HORUS!!"

**Lorgar: **"You owe me money!"

**Magnus: **"You owe me a planet!"

**Angron: **"You just owe me!"

**Horus: **"Relax brothers ... all debts will be repaid in good time. Now, we have work to do!"

**All: **"Destroy the Imperium!"

**Horus: **"Ah ... not quite".

**Lorgar: **"What? What do you mean 'not quite'? What happened about the Long War?"

**Horus: **"On hold folks".

**Magnus: **"On hold? Then what's the summer campaign about?"

**Horus: **"We're joining forces with our brothers against the real, true, absolutely THE bad guys of the universe - the C'tan!!"

moment of silence

**Lorgar: **"#£&$ing C'tan!!"


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_

**Thought for the Day: **In Tau Empire, dice roll YOU!!

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

After the shocking revelation that the long-awaited second coming was upon them, the Primarchs were less than enthused to discover that their eagerly longed for Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny was instead against the C'tan; beings that no one cared about until 3rd Ed. 

**Horus: **"I'm sorry about this guys ..."

**Lorgar: **"Don't apologise Horus, we quite understand. Frankly, I'm just glad we're finally getting motivated. Now I can lead my legions of loyal book worms into battle at long last!"

**Magnus: **"My fellow nerds shall inflict their rage upon the galaxy!"

**Ferrus: **"My fellow Anonymous shall taste battle! The Day of Reckoning has arrived!! All Noobs everywhere shall suffer our wrath!!"

**Horus: **"Quite ... I see you all haven't changed much ... just got larger ... and more gribbly ... and a few more eyes ... or arms in your case Fulgrum ... except Sanginius and Ferrus ... you guys haven't changed".

**Ferrus: **"The downside of being loyalist - limited Armoury".

**Sangiunius: **"Artificer Armour and Iron Halo; I never leave home without them".

**Ferrus: **"No one does, unless you're wearing Terminator Armour".

**Sanguinius: **"Ooh no ... that just makes me look fat. And you try flying in the damn thing ..."

**Ferrus: **"Mephiston manages it".

**Sanguinius: **"Well Mephiston can just go bite my-"

**Horus: **"Calm down girl, you're making Mort cry".

**Lorgar: **"Everything makes Mort cry".

**Mortarion: **crying "No it doesn't!!"

**Horus: **"That's enough! All of you! Now we're needed in the Auditorium to tell the Mournival what they should be doing. I can't believe Ezekyle's been running things for the last ten thousand years by himself and **hasn't** managed to destroy the galaxy five times over already. Disappointing".

**Perturabo: **"Tell me about it ..."

**Horus: **"I know, I thought I raised the kid better ... maybe if Torgaddon ... no we'll just have _The Black Crusade Show!_ every couple of millennia ..."

they exit the pub, and walk the dingy corridors towards the Autitorium. Suddenly, the screen shatters!

**Perturabo: **"What the hell?"

two Bloodthirsters appear

**Horus: **"It's a random encounter"

**Lorgar: **"A what?!?"

**Horus: **"Sorry, forgot to mention. Relic are doing a tie-in RPG for the summer campaign".

**Lorgar: **"And they have _random encounters??_"

**Horus: **"It's Japanese-style".

**Perturabo: **"Where the hell did they come from? Where they hiding behind the walls? Seriously - how did we **not** see them? They're **BLOODTHIRSTERS!**"

**Magnus: **"I guess we failed our spot checks".

**Perturabo: **"BLOODTHIRSTERS!"

**Magnus: **"Hey, I didn't write the mechanics".

**Lorgar: **"Er Pert? It's turn-based and you rolled highest Initiative".

**Perturabo: **"What?"

**Lorgar: **"Turn-based. You should be used to it by now".

**Perturabo: **"But you can't do anything?"

**Lorgar: **"Nope".

**Perturabo: **"But they're right in front of you! _JUST HIT THEM!!"_

**Lorgar: **"Can't - your Initiative step".

**Perturabo: **"Oh for the love of ...

Attack - Limit Break - Iron Omnislash  
Perturabo hits Bloodthirster!  
Perturabo deals 9,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Perturabo deals 9,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Perturabo deals 9,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Perturabo deals 9,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Perturabo deals 9,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Perturabo deals 9,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Perturabo deals 9,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Bloodthirster dies.

... thankyou!"

**Lorgar: **"You're next Horus".

**Horus: **"Thank the Gods, this battle music is starting to get repetitive ...

Magic - Black - Ultima  
Horus casts Ultima!  
Horus deals 99,999 damage to Bloodthirster!  
Bloodthirster dies.

... there we go".

**Perturabo: **"What the hell? I thought the damage caps at 9999?"

**Horus: **"Break Damage Limit".

**Perturabo: **"Broken ..."

**Horus: **grins "I've spent ten thousands years grinding".

Victory!  
Party gains 7,569 Gil  
Party gains 6,789 XP  
Party gains Phoenix Down

**Lorgar: **"Handy ..."

**Perturabo: **"XP? Is that contagious?"

**Horus: **"Ferrus, you're the gamer geek - you explain".

**Ferrus: **"Well ..."

**Horus: **"Congratulations party! Onwards - to the Auditorium!"

**Mortarion: **"Digs on Cloud".

**Lorgar: **"You can have Emo Boy ... emo boy ... I'll be Auron".

**Magnus: **"Damn ... "

**Alpharious: **"I'm Balthier!"

**Magnus: **"Oh double-damn!"  
**  
Lorgar: **"Fulgrim, what's with the staff and outfit?"

**Fulgrim:** "I want to be Aerith*"

**Lorgar: **"O ... K ... " slowly backs away


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

**Thought for the Day: **Blessed be sock that is never lost, for many an Exterminatus was conducted by an irate Inquisitor with a single bare foot

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

_After a rude interruption by a random encounter, our (sometimes) heroes press onwards, their XP quota satisfied for today, but the question has to be asked ..._

**Ferrus: **"Where did Sanguinius go?"

**Mortarion:** "He vanished as soon as Horus appeared".

**Horus: **"Hah! The feathered cowered! Always a bad loser, remember the photo-shoot for _Men of the Great Crusade_ calender way back when?"

**Lorgar:** "I remember the strop he went into after they insisted on placing you as 'Mr. December'"

**Horus: **"Good times ..."

**Mortarion: **"We're not going to have a flashback are we? Those things give me jet-lag ..."

**Lorgar: **"How the hell does that work?"

**Sanguinius:** "Halt!"

**Perturabo: **"What the ... ?"

**Ferrus: **"There you are!"

**Angron: **"Nice katana!"

**Lorgar: **"Nice yellow jumpsuit ..."

**Sanguinius: **"Save your breath Lorgar, for I have a 2+ Save against your sarcasm - and I passed!!"

**Magnus: **flicking through rulebook "Where does it say that?"

**Lorgar: **"Put the rulebook down Magnus, he's making a lame attempt at a joke, and a homage by the looks of his attire".

**Horus: **"So kiddo, is this the rematch?"

**Sanguinius: **"You better believe it! So come at thee! Let us clash swords and decide once and for all who should have worn the title of Warmaster!"

**Horus: **"Yeah ... with what? I have no arms".

**Sanguinius: **"What? Since when? How did I not notice that before?"

**Magnus: **"Well if people would put some ranks into Spot, maybe this wouldn't come as a surprise to you".

**Horus: **"My fault; I should have tought Abaddon how to undo safety straps on Lightning Claws. He got a bit impatient in his hurry to loot the gear he tore my arms off with the Talons. Unfortunately, while my uber-Primarch-regeneration skills have recovered from dad's 2nd Ed psychic megadeath blast, they can't regrow entire limbs. I need to get them reattached, which means finding out where Ezekyle put the damn things".

**Mortarion: **"Bummer ..."

**Horus: **"Tell me about it, I haven't-"

**Lorgar: **cough

**Horus: **"In millennia ..."

**Lorgar: **"Horus, try and remember this is a PG-13 forum ..."

**Horus: **"Sorry. Anyway, how about we put this on hold until I get my arms back?"

**Angron: **"You did OK against those Bloodthirster ..."

**Horus: **whispering "I don't have +Chaos to all my stats this time! What am I going to do, kick him to death?"

**Angron: **"Chuck Norris could do it ..."

**Horus: **"Leave grandpa out of this!"

**Sanguinius: **"Very well, this shall wait until the fight is fair!"

**Perturabo: **"That is why you lose ..."

**Sanguinius: **"Depends on the game; when did you last get a girlfriend?"

**Mortarion: **"Dude ... owned".

**Perturabo: **"Shut it!"

**Horus: **"Enough, the Auditorium is before us! Let us enter and instruct Ezekyle on the new order of things!"

**Angron: **"Hell yeah!"

**Lorgar: **"Angron, put the Bloodthirsters dow- ... wait, why have you attached them together with a chain?"

**Angron: **"My new invention - Blood-chucks!! Just swing them around and they do all the hitting for you!"

**Lorgar: **"My brain hurts ..."

Horus kicks the door open, which squeels in pain and runs away

**Horus: **"Ezekyle!!!"

Abaddon looks at Horus from where he is held five feet above the ground by a very angry-looking Roboute Guilliman. He swings Drach'nyen through Guilliman without any effect

**Abaddon:** "Horus! Do something! They took away the insta-kill function last edition!!"

**Horus: **"Fear no more! Curze!"

**Konrad Curze: **appearing from the darkness to throw a small red & white ball before Roboute "I choose you M'Lhindi!"

the ball pops open, and a Callidus assassin appears. Thrusting her C'tan Phase sword into Roboute's groin. The Primarch collapses as everyone in the Auditorium winces and clutches their own respective anatomy. The Callidus grins, then pops back into the ball

**Curze: **"Good girl. She levelled up from that encounter!"

**Lorgar: **"Konrad!! You're alive! And still collecting assassins so it seems ..."

**Curze: **"Indeed, I have a couple more Callidus' in my collection as well as Vindicare, Culexus, Evesor, and some Venenom".

**Magnus: **"Still no Vanus?"

**Curze: **shakes his head "That's an ultimate rare!"

**Lorgar: **"No matter, it's good to have you back. That just leaves Vulkan ..."

**Vulkan: **"Did somebody call my name?"

theme music begins ...  
_Who's that cool-ass Primarch _  
_who's a sex machine to all the chicks?_  
_(Vulkan!)_  
_You're damn right ..._

_Who is the man_  
_Who would risk his neck for a brother marine?_  
_(Vulkan!)_  
_Can ya dig it?_

**Mortarion: **"Wait ... that doesn't even rhyme!

**Lorgar: **dancing along with everyone else "So? Just get down with the beat!"

**Mortarion: **"You're all sad ... if anyone wants me I'll be in my corner ..."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_

**Thought for the Day: **Asteroids are expensive. On a budget for the apocalypse? Order your Exterminatus now for a reduced Christmas price! Curtesy of your Friendly Neighbourhood Inquistion.

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

_Rejoined with their dead, missing, and (in one case) supposedly-utterly-annihilated brothers, our (when they can be bothered) heroes now confront the object of ten thousand years of frustration - former first company captain, now self-declared Warmaster, Ezekyle Abaddon. _

**Lorgar: **"I say we force him to listen to Mort's entire collection".

**Perturabo: **"By the Gods man! I know we're supposed to be evil, but there is a **limit**!"

**Mortarion: **giant bundles of paper in his massive, pus-ridden hands "Please! It'll be nice to read to someone other than Grandpappy Nurgle!"

**Perturabo: **"Warp help anyone other than the only sentient creature more depressed than you are who hears the poor excuse for 'emotional literature' that you call poetry".

**Mortarion: **eyes begin to bubble with diseased-infested tears

**Perturabo: **"Oh for the love of ..."

**Horus: **"Quiet, all of you".

**Perturabo: **"Hey, don't come back after ten thousand years and think you still own the place - we've moved on! We're older and wiser and we don't need you to tell us what to do anymore?"

**Abaddon: **"Oh really? And what, pray tell, have you done in those ten thousand years Horus hasn't been holding your hand?"

silence

**Angron: **"I failed to ravage a small hive world ..."

**Peturabo: **"That seriously didn't help Ang ... seriously didn't help".

**Magnus: **"Thanks Angron, what little self-esteem and confidence I have from being possibly the biggest nerd in the galaxy has now been violated like a fourteen-year-old Japanese schoolgirl in a Slaaneshi summoning ritual. From the bottom of my heart and with all the sarcasm I can muster, I thank you. Now, if anyone wants me, I'll be with Ferrus surfing 4chan ..."

**Angron: **"Sheesh ... a simple 'shut it' would have sufficed. No need for the graphic analogy ..."

**Horus: **"Abaddon, however, and for the first time in years, does have a point. You, collectively, including you my loyalist brothers, have done squat-all for ten thousand years".

**Random Squat: **"Hey!"

**Horus: **"Oh sorry, that was exceedingly politically incorrect of me".

**Random Squat: **"Damn straight!"

**Lorgar: **"I thought you guys were ret-conned out last edition?"

**Random Squat: **"Aye! But think about it! Our homeworlds ere eaten by the bugs, but **just** our homeworlds! We squats are everywhere; it's not as if the bugs can track all of us down no matter where we are!" bursts into laughter!

A Lictor bursts from the shadows, pins the squat to the ground and quicky devours him, disappearing afterwards as suddenly as it had appeared

**Lorgar: **"Yeah, you were just asking for that".

**Horus: **"Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, Abaddon's point ..."

**Tarik Torgaddon: **"Bloody hell! A point! Ezzi, make a point! We'll see pigs flying now eh?" barrels a huge Daemonic elbow into Abaddon's side

**Abaddon: **rolling eyes "Whatever. Allow me to reintroduce you to your Mournival Horus, this irritating excuse for a Daemon Prince is Torgaddon, previous second company captain, now permanent ship's jester".

**Torgaddon: **"See, when you become" wiggles fingers "'corrupted' by Chaos your main personality trait is enhanced to the point where anything else is forgotten, rendering you a two-dimensional caricature. Being the token 'funnyman' of the group, my entire existence is now built around making endless unfunny jokes about any situation that occurs".

**Abaddon**: "He will die again in a moment as well. Ahriman, prep another soul-binding ritual".

**Ahriman**: "Oh, for the love of ... OK someone get me another cute furry animal! I need something cute and innocent for the sacrifice!"

**Thrall Wizard: **"We've got Dakota Fanning out back".

**Ahriman: **"That'll do".

**Abaddon: **gestures to a rather normal-looking Space Marine bound by various Daemonic Chains "I'm sure you remember Garviel Loken?"

**Loken: **"Unbind me Ezekyle! Face the wrath of the Emperor! You will pay for your sins! Pay for the deaths of every innocent you butchered! In the name of justice and the Imperial Truth!"

**Lorgar: **"Has he always been such a twat?"

**Abaddon: **"He was the main character for the first three Horus Heresy novels, and being a Black Library main character is a walking self-righteous moralistic do-gooder just in case the reader is under the mistaken impression he's reading a _Star Wars_ novel".

**Loken: **"If you had a lightsaber Ezekyle, it would be red ... so very **red!!**"

**Abaddon: **"Yeah, because we naturally colour-code villains for your convenience ..." rolls eyes

**Lorgar: **"That also explains the overabundance of spikes around the place in recent years ..."

**Abaddon: **"Yeah, I'm getting those all removed - health and safety hazards".

**Horus: **"Garvi still loyalist I see? Why do you keep him around?"

**Abaddon: **"To ignore him".

**Loken: **"If you hadn't turned traitor Ezekyle, we would be playing with **Assault Cannons** by now!! ASSAULT CANNONS EZEKYLE! HEAVY FOUR RENDING AWESOMENESS!! EMPEROR HELP ME I HATE YOU SO MUCH!!"

**Abaddon: **"I think he's annoyed about something ... anyway, lastly we come to Horus Aximand, who's opinions I do ocassionally listen to ... once a millennia or two ..."

**'Little' Horus Aximand**: "Cheers Ezekyle, it's good to see you again Horus"

**Horus: **"Likewise, although I think you need a new nickname. Can't call you 'Little Horus' anymore when you look like that. I don't have quite so many teeth ... or mouths ... or heads for that matter ..."

**Lorgar: **"And he's significantly larger than you ... by a good forty feet".

**Horus: **"Indeed ... Gargantuan Creature by any chance?"

**Aximand: **grins

**Magnus: **looking up from the hololithic monitor "A brother in Unit Type!"

**Horus: **"Excellent, now move your ungodly Toughness and Wounds over a bit so I can sit down next to Ezekyle ... you owe me some arms by the way".

**Abaddon: **"I'll have to ask Fabius to grow some new ones, I sold the old on WarpBay".

**Horus: **"What?!?"

**Abaddon: **"I needed the cash, and you'd be surprised how much people will pay for a piece of a celebrity".

**Mortarion: **"Then why won't any of my poems get a bid ...?"

**All: **"Because you suck!"

**Mortarion: **"And you wonder why I'm depressed all the time ... Loken, will you be my friend?"

**Loken: **"I may be the good guy but have to draw the line somewhere ... now if you'll excuse me - HEAVY FOUR RENDING!!!"

**Abaddon: **"THIRTY POINT TERMINATORS!!!"

**Loken: **"Ooh ... touche"

= = = = = = = *****CHAPTER NINE***** = = = = = = = =

_Oh when will the pain end?_  
_The eternal suffering of my mind._  
_When will the pain be over,_  
_it burns inside like a thousand knives._  
_Let me end, let me go,_  
_pass into the endless nothing._  
_I wish to do, how I do so,_  
_to leave this world and embrace_  
_the entropic bliss of nothing._

_Praise be to Nurgle!!_  
_- "Entropic Bliss", by Mortarion. _


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_

**Thought for the Day:** Remember - when set alight, stop, drop, and roll those 6's!

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

With introductions between the two majors Chaos powers - the Primarchs of old, and the followers of Abaddon who have enjoyed a ten thousand year long frat party without the adults around - now complete, Chaos Undivided turns its matters to more important questions:

**Lorgar: **"I may be missing a small and possibly quite minor detail here, but how on Terra are we supposed to ally with a force we, truth be told, betrayed, then lost to, and subsequently spent ten thousand years of protracted religious warfare with?

**Horus: **"By restoring the Imperial Aetheism! ... I mean Truth!"

**Lorgar: **"Good luck, the Ecclesiarchy is as good as me when it comes to inciting religious fevor. Ten thousand years of religious zeal isn't going away overnight. Besides, there is one small flaw to your aetheist plan".

**Horus: **"Oh?"

**Lorgar: **"Gods exist - it's a scientifically proven fact".

**Horus: **"Science - you've betrayed us! How could you ally with the enemy?"

**Strange woman: **"Oh Horus darling ... don't you want me anymore?"

**Stranger woman: **"Oh ... how disappointing. Especially when he was so much fun to toy with ... like a little puppet with a pull-string ... a cheese pull string, with califlower ... so many catch-phrases ..."

**Fat man:**"What in the infinite hells are you babbling about?"

**Bulky man:**"Don't even bother, its mind works in ways beyond our understanding".

**Strange woman: **"Perhaps just yours ... we all know there's nothing much going on up there, darling, than thoughts of blood ..." sucks her fingers absent-mindedly

**Horus: **"I would say it's a plesant surprise to see you all here, but that would be the biggest lie since I sent out all those invites for Istvaan Mash-Up M.31!"

**Lorgar: **"The Avatars of the Gods!! I never thought they would be so ... stereotypical".

**Strange woman - Slaanesh: **"We go with what's best darling ..."

**Fulgrim: **"That's a fantastic little number there you're **not **wearing ... I do believe that miniskirt's so short it's _inverted_ itself and destroyed several dimensions in the process".

**Slaanesh: **I would say she adopts a seductive pose, but that's the default state of being for Slaanesh, so I'll tell you when she's **not** looking like a Luis Royo painting "Why thank you my dear"

**Mortarion:** "Grandpa!"

**Fat man - Nurgle: **"Mort! Come to my arms!" Mort runs to Nurgle, and promptly falls into the open, bleeding, pestilent chest cavity to curl up within the diseased organs of the horrifically obese Nurgle

**Lorgar: **"Oh that's just gross ..."

**Magnus: **"Tzeentch! How's it going?"

**Stranger woman - Tzeentch:**"Somewhat obtuse, with minor infringements upon perpendicular territories. It's a maths equation that I shall enjoy with a slice of tea".

**Mangus: **"And you make no sense as always ..."

**Tzeentch: **"Leman cupcakes! Magnus you have no corollary turtle soup!"

**Ahriman:** "She says you've cut your hair - it looks good"

**Magnus: **"Ahri - you understand Tzeentch-speak!"

**Ahriman:** "What? Did you think I spent the last ten thousand years bumming out on the sofa? I've been doing homework; I'm fluent in over eighty thousand different languages, including net-speak".

**Ferrus: **"OHAI!"

**Ahriman:** "LOL! G2G!; I have a Dakota to sacrifice ..."

**Slaanesh: **"Hmm ... sweet little girls ..."

**Ahriman: **shudders "Ergh ..."

**Angron:** "Keep away from anything I want to cut up"

**Bulky man - Khorne:** "That's the spirit! I see you've learnt well! What's that you're holding?"

**Angron: **"Blood-chucks! My own invention!"

**Khorne: **"Tell me more ..."

**Abaddon: **"Is everyone here yet? I want to get this meeting started soon".

**Lorgar: **"Well we're still missing a few ..."

doors burst open

**Abaddon: **"Oh for the love of ... does **anyone** in this galaxy know how to open doors? THEY HAVE MOTION SENSES FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!"

**Leman Russ: **"And they sensed my motion!" deep laughter of the Brian Blessed kind

**Corax: **"Pitiful ..."

**Khan: **piercing stare

**Lorgar: **"Russ, Dorn, Corax, and Khan! I'm glad you guys could make it. Good to see you again Khan!"

**Khan: **piercing stare

**Lorgar: **"Erm ... how have you been?"

**Khan: **piercing stare

**Lorgar: **"Good tour?"

**Khan: **piercing stare

**Lorgar: **"Erm ... well you're as talkative as ever ... I think we're ready to being now Abaddon ..."

**Corax: **"So this is Nurgle, good to meet you"

**Nurgle:**"Corax! I admire your poetry ... it speaks from the heart!"

**Corax: **"Finally someone who understands my pain!"

**Lorgar:** rolls eyes

**Fulgrim: **"RUSS! GET AWAY FROM MY GOD!! Slaanesh put him down - you don't know where he's been!"

**Slaanesh:** "Don't care darling ..."

**Russ: **"Wait, Slaanesh?!?! Ya said yer name wa Agnus!"

**Abaddon: **"Can Gods, Primarchs, and us 'mere' mortals take our seats before I start breaking out the Strength 8 hurt?"

everyone ignores him

**Abaddon: **"LAST ONE TO SIT DOWN GETS A FREE COPY OF THE DAWN OF WAR TRILOGY SIGNED BY C S GOTTO!"

everyone is seated

**Abaddon: **"Mortarion, sitting inside Nurgle doesn't count. So here's your book ..."

**Mortarion: **"TAKE IT AWAY! THE WORDS - THEY BURN MY PRECIOUS EYES!!"

**Abaddon: **"Right, agenda number one ..."

mass snoring

**Abaddon: **"It's going to be one of those days ..."

**GREAT VOICE OF AWESOME: **"THEN LET ME SIMPLIFY IT!"

all eyes turn to the doorway, where a great golden weelchair is being pushed in by a cloaked figure. Upon the weelchair sits THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!

**Horus:** "FATHER!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Horus! It has been too long!"

**Horus:** "I am sorry for what I have done, do you forgive me father?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Of course my son ... but you're still grounded for an eon".

**Horus: **bows head "I understand father ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"And I'm taking your Xbox away for the duration"

**Horus:** "Dad! I was going to play that when Ezekyle grew my arms back!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Tough ... and Russ, Sanguinius, Roboute, Corax, Vulkan, Ferrus, Khan, and Dorn please get up! Spend any more time penitent and I'll class it as worship, and you know what I do to worshippers?"

**Lorgar: **"The horror ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Lorgar still remembers. Right, Ezekyle, mind if I take over?"

**Abaddon: **"Do I have a choice?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Not at all. Right, I now with my powers of supreme awesomeness declare this Chapter ended!"

= = = = = = = *****CHAPTER TEN***** = = = = = = = =

**Dorn: **"Wait ... haven't we forgotten someone?"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven**_

**Thought for the Day:** A Grot is for life, not just for Christmas. Give your Grot over to the Killer Kan Charity For Making Use Of Our Gretchin!

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

_With the arrival of THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!, the Forces of Currently Undecided Moral Stance now discuss the topic of great importance; the destruction of the C'tan and all they stand for!_

**Mortarion:** "So what do they stand for?"

**Lorgar:** "I can' believe you actually pay attention to the opening narrative ..."

**Horus: **"Crappy retcons, Mort".

**Lorgar:** "I don't hear you complaining about the how we somehow got better from 'dying of old age' to being immortal"

**Horus:** "I love _Realms of Chaos_ like a step-child who isn't ginger but even I'll be the first to admit that Humanity creating Khorne, Nurgle **and** Tzeentch **by itself** was a pretty stupid idea".

**Tzeentch:** "Peanut colon, sideways inuendo with cheese.

**Slaanesh:** "She says 'you wish'. Me, on the other hand baby, I'm all Eldar. One hundred and one percent ..."

**Mortarion:** "Looks like someone needs to learn basic maths again ..."

**Slaanesh:** "Don't make me come over there and give you affection!"

**Mortarion: **"Positive emotional connections! KEEP THEM AWAY FROM ME!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"When you two have quite finished?"

silence

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Excellent ... now; onto more serious matters-"

**Lorgar: **"We're not shifting the tone of this script already are we?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"No we're not, now with all my supreme Merret-given powers of absolute awesomeness I demand SILENCE!"

cricket chirps

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **deathly gaze

cricket explodes

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Right ... where was I? Ah yes ... we're gathered here today, all of us-"

**Dorn: **"Lion's still missing"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"MOST of us - I'll give Lion a Warp-mail of this meeting's contents later when the lazy git wakes up - are gathered here today with the same single burning desire held within their soul!"

**Lorgar:** "You want to go back to the pub too?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"What? No!"

**Angron:** "You want a Bloodthirster-morningstar?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"How does that work? I MEAN NO!!"

**Slaanesh:** "Darling, I **really** doubt you want what I want ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"That we're in agreement over ..."

**Ferrus:** "Dad ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"FOR THE LAST TIME I AM **NOT** PAYING FOR YOUR UNLIMITED WARPBAND ACCESS! You can pay for your own damned torrenting ..."

**Ferrus: **shrug "Worth a shot ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "ANYONE ELSE?"

cricket chirps

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"REJECTED!"

cricket is torn inside out, then explodes

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"For the love of ... OK, back to the main storyline ... THE C'TAN!!"

general boos and hissess erupt from the audience

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Nice response ... these damn so-called 'Gods' must go! I cannot stand seeing highly advanced, super-intelligent, ultra-powerful immortal energy beings passing themselves off as deities".

**Lorgar:** "You were Gene Roddenberry in a past life weren't you?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "I may have been ... but that's immaterial"

**Slaanesh: **holding up a small pocket-dimension of Warp-matter "No, **this** is immaterial!"

cricket plays the drums - ba boom da!

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "NOT FUNNY!"

cricket turns inside out, spontaneously combusts, then explodes

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"How many of the damn things are there?"

**Abaddon: **"Sorry, I've been meaning to call pest control for a while ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Get around to it ... right" composes himself "The C'tan are immensely powerful, and despite having playable stats for several editions now are significantly more powerful than we are. They also have legions of undying servants, and a good hold over half the Adeptus Mechanicus. Their insidious cult is spreading faster than an STI on a college campus - STOP GRINNING SLAANESH! - and within the century they could have a destructive hold upon the misguided citizens of the Imperium. We need to destroy this menace once and for all! To do to them what the Tyranids did to the Squats ... only without leaving a die-hard fanbase in its wake. With me so far?"

**Peturabo: **"Sorry you lost us when you said you weren't more powerful than the C'tan".

**Russ: **"Aye. Tha' concept takes some ge'in used to".

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **shrugs "Hey, I hit on a 3+ just like everyone else".

**Angron: **"Except against the Avatar ..."

deathly silence

**Slaanesh:** GODLIKE RAGE!!!

**Khorne:** "Word of advice - don't mention the ex-boyfriend. They have a **history**".

**Angron: **"Ah ... cheers"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Any further interruptions?"

cricket ...

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Don't even think about it! The C'tan are powerful, but they have a weakness! We must strike them when they were at their most vulnerable, when they did not have the allies they have now! We must travel back in time and destroy them when they are young and weak!"

**Magnus: **"Time-travel? But this setting doesn't have such a science fiction staple!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"That's where you fail ... for this franchise does have a way of traversing time. When our universe was joined to that of _Warhammer Fantasy Battles _we shared the same small hope that one day _Warhammer Armies: Fishmen_ will see the light of day! A small piece of background leaked onto the Warpnet spoke of the great deity of the Fishmen - THE FISH OF TIME!"

dramatic music

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Wow, that cricket's actually quite useful. You may live my little furry friend".

**Dorn: **"But where may we find this Fish of Time?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"The Fishmen reside beyond the established canon background - beyond the Gates of Varl!"

**Corax: **"But how to pass through the Gates? They are protected by Deliberate Background Ambiguity!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"The Eldar hold the way! They alone know of the six Keys of Varl that will unlock the way!"

**Fulgrim: **"The Eldar?"

**Eldrad Ulthran, Cosmopoliton's No.1 Most Eligible Bachelor: **"He speaks the truth! We Eldar are once again your only hope, pitiful Humans! Karma sucks big-time doesn't it?"

**Abaddon: **"How the hell do these people keep appearing **inside the supposedly most heavily defended room in this ship!** Where the hell is my security! Who's in charge of them anyway?"

**Torgaddon: **"Oh ... that's me".

**Abaddon: **face-palms


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter Twelve**_

**Ecclesiarchy Public Service Announcement:** Fight for the Emperor, and you may die. Don't fight for the Emperor, and you **will** die. We like making choices easy for you.

_The story so far: After spending ten thousand years drinking off their depression after a crushing defeat at the climax of the Horus Heresy, the Daemon Primarchs now find themselves aboard Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, hoping to regain their shattered pride, fix some broken ego, and generally attempt to gain more than a polite mention in the next Codex: Chaos Space Marines._

_With the knowledge of a great power, the Primarchs listen attentively to the reborn Eldar Farseer, Eldrad Ulthran-_

**Lorgar: **"No we won't!"

_Yes you will._

**Lorgar: **"No, bugger off!"

_I am the Narrator, I have ultimate power over all of you. You __**will**__ listen to what I say, and you will dance like the puppets you are. MWAHAHAHA!!_

**Lorgar: **"You didn't just **type** maniacal laughter did you?"

_Erm ... I might have._

**Lorgar: **"That's just sad - father!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"REJECTED! FOURTH WALL BREAKER ATTACK!"

_ARRGGGH!!!_

Lastie is obliterated at the keyboard

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"I, the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! and all-round awesome dude I am, will from here take over the duties as Narrator ..

_... starting now. Hey, this is kinda cool. Testing, testing ... can you hear me all right everyone?_

**All:** "Yes! Now get on with it!"

_Fair enough. Our story continues with the arrival of the Eldar witch Eldrad Ulthran, who, by the way, is far more uglier underneath his armour than Cosmopoliton would suggest, and that he won Most Eligible Bachelor repeatedly before me is a crime of the gre-_

**Lorgar:** "Dad?"

_Hah ... sorry, I ramble. This is kinda addictive, by the way. The power ... the power ... er ... anyway. Eldrad explains that the Keys of Varl are hid-_

**Eldrad: **"Wait ... don't I get the chance to dialogue?"

_Not on my narrative watch bi-_

**Eldrad: **"Oh you did **not** just call me that!"

_But I didn't ..._

**Eldrad: **"You were **going** to ..."

_Yeah, but ..._

**Eldrad: **"Good enough for me - I cast TRUE RESURRECTION on the Narrator!"

_Oh thank God for that. Cheers Eldrad!_

**Eldrad: **"No problem, now buy my model and collect Eldar!"

_Er ... I'll pass thanks. Right, Eldrad will now explain the Keys and the mission our brave heroes must endure to save the galaxy from the perils of the C'tan ... _

**Eldrad: **"Damn straight I will. Gods, heroes, mortals, and crickets, I stand before you reborn from the clutches of the corrupted Talisman!"

**Eldar aid: **"Er ... sir? Use of 'corrupt' to describe Chaos is being discouraged ..."

**Eldrad:** "What?"

**Eldar aid: **"It's politically incorrect sir, and insensitive to our Chaos allies. They prefer if you would use 'alternative existential style' instead"

**Eldrad: **"Bloody hell ... oh very well: I escaped from the 'alternative existential styled' Talisman a new man, which greater powers, a new model - sculpted by Jes Goodwin no less! - and sexy new rules"

**Ahriman:** reading Codex: Eldar, fifth edition "You can use **how many** powers a Turn? That's just broken ... who wrote this anyway?"

**Eldrad:** "Not Gav Thorpe, I can assure you. He's too busy with the fifth edition Chaos Space Marines ..."

deathly silence

**Mortarion: **"I have a bad feeling about this guys ..."

**Ahriman: **Bolt Pistol to ear "What's that you say trusty Inferno Bolts? AP 2? Two wounds **and **a 4+ Invulnerable Save? Pete Haines made to play Thousand Sons at gunpoint? I sense a bright future ahead of us ..."

**Perturabo: **reading over shoulder "One wound Obliterators? Choose a single weapon for the **entire** game? There's backlash then there's **single-minded vengeance**!"

**Magnus:** "Oh isn't that sweet .. Gav and Alessio sent me a birthday card ..."

**Perturabo: **"WHAT? Oh **now** it's personal!"

**emperor of mankind: **"Personal vendettas against the designers will have to wait until the end of the campaign ... wait ... did you just spell my name in lower case?"

_Yeah. What you going to do ... Tracy?"_

**emperor of mankind: **"You did **not** just call me by my name?!?"

**Eldrad:** "'Tracy'?" snigger

**emperor of mankind: **"SHUT UP!"

**Gods: **"Hey Tracy!"

**emperor of mankind: **"QUIET!"

cricket chirps 'Tracy'

**emperor of mankind:**"I'm going to sit with Mort in the corner ..."

cricket plays sad music on violin

**emperor of mankind:** "Now that's just going too far"

_Promise to behave?_

**emperor of mankind:** " ... alright".

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"AWESOME! My name's back! Witness the awesomeness!"

**Eldrad:** "Witnessed ... whatever. Anyway, I'm back, all is good. Now it's time to kick ass, C'tanic ass that is. To pass through the Gates of Varl and obtain the power of the Fish of Time, one needs the six Keys of Carl!"

**Lorgar:** "Don't you mean 'Varl'?"

**Eldrad: **"No ... Carl. Don't you remember?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I had their memories wiped, along with all Legion records ..."

**Perturabo:** "Legions records? Who's Carl?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Primarch of the Eleventh Legion".

**Horus: **"There was a Primarch? I thought that was just a bad dream to conveniently explain away my surprisingly quick choice to side with Chaos?"

**Tzeentch:** "Curse McNeil for condensing my seven thousand page argument into four!"

**Magus:** "HAH! You **can** talk sense if you want!"

**Tzeentch: **"I wasn't talking sense; you're going insane so now you can understand me ..."

**Magnus:** "Oh ..."

**Tzeentch: **whispering to herself "So easy ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Unfortunately not. As quite clearly stated in multiple publications all twenty Primarchs were found, although we had to get trid of two on the very logical grounds. In Carl's case - he was ****ing lazy ... hey I'm the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! How dare you bleep my swears!"

_Warseer rules ... sorry._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"But I'm the Emperor ...."

**Lorgar:** "So what happened to him?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"He's still probably lazying about somewhere smoking, injecting, snorting and whatever else-ing various substances and watching endless repeats of _Cheers_ in an effort to destroy what little brain cells he has left ..."

**Dorn:** "What was his Legion called?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"The Fear Loathers ..."

**Russ:** "'an he has te keys?"

**Eldrad:** "No, unfortunately he lost them many thousands of years ago to pay for the entire DVD box set of _Friends_. Their current whereabouts are unknown, but I do have clues to set us going!"

**Sanguinius:** "Well tell us, and we shall be on our way!"

**Eldrad:** "Very well: Dorn, Perturabo, and Corax; there's a small Ork Empire to the galactic southeast that may hold clues to the Hope Key! Russ, Magnus, and Ferrus; head to Ruins of Al'cir, the Ancient Craftworld of Despair for clues on the Despair Key! Vulkan, Roboute, and Alpharious can tackle the Fields of Glory for the Glory Key! Mortarion, Sanguinius and Fulgrim can enjoy the lures of the Daemonworld of Ibris for the Desire Key! Khan, Angron, and Konrad can tackle the Endless Hells of Kith for the Battle Key! And Lion, Lorgar and Horus can talk to the Oracle of Oblivion for the Final Key!"

**Lorgar: **"Sounds like you know exactly where they are".

**Eldrad: **"Only becaused I scryed to the end of this plot".

**Lorgar: **"Fair enough, do we win? And look **good**?"

**Eldrad: **"Yeah ... whatever".

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Enough plot establishment! ON WITH THE CRUSADE! PRIMARCHS! ONWARDS TO GLORY!"

**All: **rousing battle-cry

The Primarchs leave the Auditorium, eager to being their new quest

**Abaddon: **"And what do we do?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Take back Terra now I've give my useless sons something to occupy themselves with".

**Abaddon: **"You mean that was all a lie?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Of course! Fish of Time? What nonsense! We'll win this campaign the old fashioned way! Rolling lots of dice and killing things until they stop moving!"

**Torgaddon: **"Er ... sir? Phone call for you".

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Really?" takes receiver "Yeah?"

**DECEIVER: **"Hey, Tracy-dude! It's me, Deceiver"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Oh ... hi".

**DECEIVER:**"Just thought you'd like to know, as I'm sitting on your throne here on Terra: ALL YOUR BASE ARE - LIKE TOTALLY - BELONG TO US!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Damn you!"

**DECEIVER: **"I'M IN YOUR BASE, KILLING YOUR DUDES!!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **slams receiver down "Oh, now it's personal! Malcador!"

**Cloaked man: **"Yes sir?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Get me my Sword of a Thousand Truths! It's time to pwn some Necrons!"

**Abaddon: **"As soon as the Primarchs leave, set course for Terra! Never thought I'll be _defending_ the place, of all things".

**Torgaddon: **"The irony eh?"

**Abaddon: **"Please stop talking ..."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

**Thought for the Day:** Blessed be the 3+ Save, for those who who wield it fear not the typically terrain sparse GW store gaming table.

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_We now join Lorgar and Horus aboard Horus' new flagship, the_ Ultimate Badass_, as it journeys towards the last known location of the Rock, the fortress-monastary home of the Dark Angels Chapter._

**Lorgar:** "Wow, a new opening narrative".

**Horus:** "Indeed, it fits these desperate times. Hasten! Push these engines faster so we might reach the Rock and secure the help of our brother Lion El'jonson! Faster I scream! Faster into the depth of the Warp! Faster unto-"

**Lorgar:** "What the hell are you doing?"

**Horus:** "Getting into the spirit of things, you know ... over-acting? Just in case this scene is being recorded for a White Dwarf feature on the campaign"

**Lorgar:** "Putting aside the implausible concept of White Dwarf featuring anything but advertisments for Jo's Snotling Diner and Dame Dona's Daemonettes of Devilishy Delightful Duties, is it possible to get through at least one short story without being beaten to death by dialogue that seems to be written as an ode to George Lucas' writing skills? Because we all know what killed the Star Wars prequels ..."

**Horus:** "Over abundance of CGI?"

**Lorgar:** "No, the other thing ..."

**Horus:** "Hayden Christensen?"

**Lorgar:** "Isn't he a Daemon Prince? No, keep going ..."

**Horus:** "Jar Jar Binks?"

**Lorgar:** "OK ... fair point. I'll give you that. I was aiming for crappy dialogue, but I'll concede to your wisdom there".

**Horus:** "Score one for the H-meister!"

**Lorgar:** "Give me a card ..."

**Horus:** "What? Oww ..."

_Horus reluctantly hands over Lorgar a small card with 'Coolness Factor' written on it._

**Lorgar:** "What did I say before we left the Vengeful Spirit III?"

**Horus:** "'We're not reducing this trip to another Merrett-style campy run around the galaxy. Every time I say something daft, cliche, camp, or Lucas-esque in its abuse of the English language and general glurge-i-ness you take a 'Coolness Factor' card away from me'"

**Lorgar:** "Good. Now how many do you have left?"

**Horus:** "Two ..."

**Lorgar:** "But I gave you fifty before we started! You can't have gone through them all already!"

**Horus:** "Well, there was the monologue as we set off, the one just after we entered the Warp, another ten minutes after that, and-"

**Thrall:** "Sir, I hate to interrupt this speech, and I know you're probably going to demonstrate your cliche villain status by killing me for no real reason other than to demonstrate your cliche villain status as soon as I stop talking, but you might want to know we're approaching the Rock".

**Horus:** "How do you know this? The Rock is one of the most secret and hidden locations in the entire Imperium. The Unforgiven only allow those they wish to know the location of the Rock ... to know the location of the Rock ... erm ..."

**Lorgar:** "And the giant mile-high neon sign saying 'The Rock Cafe - 1,000 miles this way' would be ... what? A coincidence?"

**Horus:** "I was just wondering that ..."

**Lorgar:** "I guess they've fallen on hard times, and realised the sheer logistical nightmare of the finances behind running a giant floating space fortress. I'd hate to think of that thing's fuel consumption, not to mention the electricity, heating and Warpband Internet bills they have to pay ... someone people just don't realise how expensive all this cool 'Giant Floating Space Monastary' stuff is!"

**Horus:** "Tell me about it. Dad faxed me the costs of the-" wiggles fingers "-'Heresy' just after we left".

**Lorgar:** "How much?"

**Horus:** "Lets just say I won't be buying a PS3 for a while ..."

**Lorgar:** "I feel for you mate. Helm - bring us around. Follow the giant pink flashing arrow ... I have a feeling something awaits on the other side".

**Horus:** "Hopefully they do milkshakes ... I feel like a strawberry and grox shake ... how about you?"

**Lorgar:** "The blood of innocents ... served with a little Hawaiian umbrella ..."

_Meanwhile, just under one thousand miles away ..._

**Watcher in the Dark:** "They approach ... kupo"

**Azrael:** "Do they? Have you found the Lion yet?"

**Watcher in the Dark:** "He is still missing ... my brothers are searching for him as we speak ... kupo"

**Azrael:** "Hurry, we must prevent them accomplishing their mission ..."

_Back onboard the_ Ultimate Badass ...

**Lorgar:** "There it is!"

**Horus:** "How did we not see something so large until now?"

**Lorgar:** "Spot check penalties are exponential, I only get a +17 Wisdom bonus on my roll".

**Horus:** "Good point ..."

**Thrall:** "Sir, I hate to disturb your musings once again and I stand well aware of my shortening life span due to your all-round evil that will probably offer my soul as a sacrifice to the dark gods as soon as I stop speaking, but I have the Rock traffic control on line one, shall I put them through to speaker-phone?"

**Horus:** "Of course".

**Thrall:** "Not going to kill me?"

**Horus:** "What? No"

**Thrall:** wanders off, muttering "That's twice now. What kind of evil overlord does he think he is?"

**Rock Traffic Control:** "Unidentified vessel, you are approaching Rock space ... er ... space ... please state your intentions".

**Horus:** "This is Warmaster Horus of the _Ultimate Badass_! Which I am ... incidently ..."

**Lorgar:** "You named the ship just for that one-liner didn't you?"

**Horus:** "What if I did? We demand to see the Lion - I know he's just sleeping that hangover off!"

**Rock Traffic Control:** "You are mistaken ... the Lion slumbers in a place we cannot enter to recover from the wounds inflicted upon him by the arch-traitor Luthor ..."

**Horus:** "No, he and Luthor got drunk and blew Caliban up, but your version's cooler so we can roll with that if you want".

**Rock Traffic Control:** "I'd rather ... we're quite happy with most of the universe believing half of the Legion turned traitor and destroyed our homeworld, not that our Primarch had a drunken accident with a Giga-Fusion Device foolishly designed with an easy-to-press-large-red button".

**Horus:** "Well ... unless we're allowed inside ... I'm going to have to tell the universe. I can see it now ... WNN exclusive ... 'Primarch's Dark Secrets Revealed!'"

**Rock Traffic Control:** "That's enough blackmail ... you can come aboard ..."

**Lorgar:** "Nice one ... have a 'Coolness Factor' card".

**Horus:** grins

_Moments later, after exiting the ramp into the dark bowels of the Rock, Horus and Lorgar walk down endless corridors, mysteriously deserted and oozing evil malevolence ..._

**Horus:** "Wait ... I thought **we **were the evil ones?"

**Lorgar:** "No, we're Chaos. We embrace all morality and discard it as restrictive organisational boundaries established to bring order to a chaotic emotional state of sentient existence".

**Horus:** "Wait ... we embrace it **and **discard it?"

**Lorgar:** "How else can we talk about being evil yet not believe any of it?"

**Horus:** "That didn't make much sense to me either ..."

**Lorgar:** "I hope we don't trigger another random encounter ..."

**Horus:** "Don't worry I'm wearing No Encounter armour"

**Lorgar:** "Well that explains the lack of anybody"

**Ominous Latin Chanting:** "Estuans interius ira vehementi ..."

**Horus:** "What was that?"

**Lorgar:** "Wait ... I know this!"

**Ominous Latin Chanting:** "Estuans interius ira vehementi ... EL'JONSON!"

_Suddenly a large figure descends from the darkness above and lands before the two Primarchs._

**Lorgar:** "I thought I recognised that music! It's El'jonson's theme tune _One Wing Angle_!"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Greetings ... brothers ..."

**Horus:** "Lion! Long time no see! Nice black leather!

**Lorgar:** "Nice katana!"

**Horus:** "And was your hair always this long ... and pale?"

**Lion:** "We do not ... have the time ... to talk ..."

_With a speed that defies logic, Lion spins round to parry the blow of Azrael, who has also appeared from seemingly nowhere to attack Lion._

**Lorgar:** "For the love of ... I have got to put more ranks in Spot!"

**Azrael:** "Lion! I cannot let you leave!"

**Lion:** "You have ... no choice ... I will not ... be reduced ... to a memory ..."

**Azrael:** "But if the galaxy finds out! I'll never be able to look Logan in the eye again next pub drink-up!"

**Lion:** "The shame is ... my burdon ... to bear ... not yours ..."

**Azrael:** "No! I will not allow it! I have a reputation!"

**Lion:** "As do I ... that is why ... I must save ... the galaxy ..."

_Our heroes are suddenly surrounded by dozens of small, robed figures._

**Watcher in the Dark 1:** "We cannot allow that Lion! ... kupo"

**Lorgar:** "Wait ... what?"

**Watcher in the Dark 2:** "Agreed. The Fish of Time must not be found! Otherwise all that we have worked for will be in vain! Kupo!"

**Horus:** "Who the hell are they?"

**Azrael:** "Watchers? What's this you speak of? Fish of Time? Have you your own agenda?"

**Watcher in the Dark 3:** "Of course, kupo"

**Watcher in the Dark 2:** "You're a fool Azrael ... kupo!"

**Lorgar:** "Kupo? You're _Moogles_?!?"

_The head Watcher throws back his hood, revealing the dreaded red pom-pom of DOOM!_

**Watcher in the Dark 1:** "That's right kupo!"

**Horus:** "When did this become a _Final Fantasy_ crossover fic?"

**Watcher in the Dark 2:** "We've been waiting thousands of years, slowly putting together our master plan!"

**Watcher in the Dark 1:** "Ahem ..."

**Watcher in the Dark 2:** "Oh sorry ... KUPO!"

**Azrael:** "What evil plan do you small bundles of diabolic cuteness have to unleash?"

**Watcher in the Dark 1:** "To bring into this universe the greatest pacifier known to man ... the power of CHIBI!!! ... kupo"

_Collective gasps of horror are heard from the Primarchs and Chapter Master._

**Horus:** "You evil creatures!"

**Watcher in the Dark 1: **"Indeed, and soon you too shall squeal 'SO KAWAII!!' before our overwhelming cuteness!! Kupo!"

**Horus: **"NEVER! This is a grim and dark universe, and with the powers invested within me by British pessimism it shall remain so! In the grim darkness of the forty-first millennium, there is no room for cute ... there is only **WAR!!!**"

**Lorgar: **"Have another card ..."

**Horus: **"Cheers".

**Watcher in the Dark 1: **"We shall see ... KUPO!! MWAHAHAHA!!!

_Meanwhile ... on Terra ..._

**DECEIVER: **Have we secured the Plot Device?

**Necron Lord: **"Yes, my lord. The Webway Gate has been activated and its energies stabilised with our superior technology".

**DECEIVER: **Excellent. I cannot enter the Webway, so I entrust this mission to you. Seek out the Black Library, and obtain for me the ULTIMATE WEAPON!!!

**Necron Lord: **"As you wish ... my lord"

_We shall now leave our heroes on this cliffhanger, will they triumph over the power of chibi? How are the other five teams doing? What is the Great C'tan Masterplan? Will Horus find his arms? Will the Emperor reclaim Terra? All these question, and a few more, will be unnecessarily answered in the next few chapters!!!_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

**Thought for the Day: **You don't want to be thinking; we don't pay you to think.

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_We now join Vulkan, Roboute and Alpharious as they head towards the fabled Fields of Glory aboard the mighty capital ship _Ultra Hammer_, on loan from the Ultramar fleet._

**Alpharious: **"Rob, can this thing get any more ... garish?"

**Roboute: **"Man, if you don't like ma pimp'd-up mega-hammer grox-off mother-lovin' super-flash low-drivin' seat of **style**, then you can get your sorry ass off at the next gas station".

**Alpharious: **"Rob, I probably **own** the next gas station".

**Roboute: **"Say what?"

**Vulkan: **"Rob-"

_Who's that cool-ass Primarch  
who's a sex machine to all the chicks?_  
_(Vulkan!)_  
_You're damn right ..._

**Vulkan: **"Man, there's a time and a place. Not when a brother's trying to make a point, you cool?"

_Sorry ..._

**Vulkan: **"Hey, it's cool. As I was saying, Rob, Alpharious here has spent the time since the Heresy doing proactive deeds for the greater good of Humanity. Al?"

**Alpharious: **"During the Great Crusade I bought major shares in all Remembrancer Warp Networks, which I then sold before the beginning of the Heresy and used the money to buy Grenade manufacturing plants, this being the time of 2nd Edition. I sold off all my Grenade manufacturing plants before the release of 3rd Edition in exchange for Rhino manufacturing plants which, needless to say, earned me more money. Using this money I bought major shares in Autocannons which weren't popular at the time, but after the release of the 4th Edition Codex: Space Marines began to earn major bucks; a little known fact being that Assault Cannons are several Autocannons tied together with a rotating self-loading mechanism. I made a little side-cash selling off Basilisks to Iron Warrior clans in the dying days of the 3.5 Codex thanks to little info gathered from my sources about the upcoming replacement Codex, which also led to me buying shares in Vindicator technology, knowing that the tank would be a popular choice for both sides".

**Roboute: **"This is all cool, man, but the question must be asked - what does this have to do with gas stations?"

**Alpharious: **"Oh ... I bought them just before the Gothic War when someone tipped me off that starship fuel might be in high demand".

**Vulkan: **"So how much does my brother Alpharious have growing in the bank?"

**Alpharious: **"I could probably buy most of the Imperium".

**Vulkan: **"Hot damn ..."

**Roboute: **"So why don't you?"

**Alpharious: **"I make more money renting it out".

**Roboute: **"You **rent** the Imperium out?"

**Alpharious: **"Yup. Where do you think Imperial Tithes go?"

**Roboute: **"So what are you going to do with all that cash?"

**Alpharious: **"Get into the GW hobby. That's what happens after forty thousand years of unchecked price inflations".

**Vulkan: **"Why not just buy the company and get the models free?"

**Alpharious: **"If you could find me another Imperium I might do just that".

**Vulkan: **"Hell, the rate this fic is going, we might see parallel dimensions showing up!"

**Roboute: **"Why not just buy Warmachine instead?"

_**WARMACHINE - PLAY LIKE YOU'VE GOT A PAIR!!**_

**Vulkan: **"What the hell was that?"

**Alpharious: **"Someone say Warmachine again ..."

_**WARMACHINE - PLAY LIKE YOU'VE GOT A PAIR!!**_

**Alpharious: **"No need, that worked".

**Vulkan: **"Kindly don't do that again. You could kill a Squiggoth with the testosterone packed into that slogan".

**Alpharious: **"Agreed. We may be Primarchs, but there's a limit to the bravo. Anyway, how far to the Fields of Glory?"

**Flight Lieutenant: **"Two weeks sir"

**Alpharious: **"What?!?"

**Vulkan: **"Man, do you have Realistic Warp Travel switched on?"

**Flight Lieutenant: **"Oh, sorry sir. Shall I switch it over to Narrative Convenience?"

**Vulkan: **"Do, we're kinda in a hurry".

**Flight Lieutenant: **flicks a switch "We're here sir".

**Roboute: **"Hot damn ... "

**Vulkan: **"Hot-" casts a glare at Roboute "-darn ..."

**Alpharious: **"Well **** me in the **** with a **** in ****** with a ***** up your ***** with ***** on the side".

**Vulkan: **"And what was that all about?"

**Alpharious: **"Sorry, I thought if I peppered random bleeps in that speech it would sound cool. Did I overdo it?"

**Vulkan: **"A little ..."

**Roboute: **"No we're here, I can get the crew together and roll out the hot-damn souped-up rigs we've pulled together on last season of _Pimp my Rhino_".

**Vulkan: **"Someone save me ..."

**Alpharious: **"Sorry, Superman works for me. As do most of the Justice League ..."

**Vulkan: **"Anything you don't own?"

**Alpharious: **"That" he points towards the desert world beneath them

**Vulkan: **"Yeah. Some 'Fields' of Glory down there"

**Roboute: **"I'm betting there's Sandworms ..."

**Alpharious: **"Now **there's** an original concept".

**Vulkan: **"Enough kids, it's time to roll out".

_Several hours and one bad landing later ..._

**Alpharious: **"Where did you get that pilot?"

**Roboute: **"Around ..."

**Alpharious: **"Hmm ... ?"

**Roboute: **"OK, he was ma hair sylist - I told him he could fly my rig next time I took it out for a spin ..."

**Alpharious: **"Well .. good job he's dead ... otherwise I would have killed him myself".

**Roboute: **"Hey, chill man. It's all cool. Relax, man ..."

**Vulkan: **"Now I'd had it with you and your 'wanna be a black guy' attitude. You're **not** a black man; you're a pasty white dude who **wishes** he was black!"

**Alpharious: **"Far be for me to interrupt this argument, which is approaching dangerous grounds surprisingly fast, but we're Space Marines. We can change the colour of our skin whenever we want. We can be any ethnic group we want - we're the most politically correct fighting force in history!"

**Vulkan: **"A good point my brother, but the fact remains that while you may **look** like a black man, and in this heat we all do, **inside**" beats his chest "you're not".

**Alpharious: **checking himself out in the reflection of his armour "Hmm ... is it a bad thing that I look like Chris Rock?"

**Vulkan: **"Probably, considering you looked like Tom Cruise five minutes ago".

**Roboute: **"Now **that's** an improvement".

**Vulkan: **"This we agree on. Anyway, drop the charade man, I remember when you used to be all stoic and serious. What happened man?"

**Roboute: **"It was a horrifying experience ... so many years ago ..."

**Alpharious: **"Wait ... are we having a flashback?"

**Vulkan: **"Not if I have any say in it. Tell us here, in the now, Rob".

**Roboute: **"Fine. It doesn't matter anyway. I challenge you Vulkan?"

**Vulkan: **"What?"

**Roboute: **"A challenge; I'll prove to you you're not the only token black guy in this family!"

**Vulkan: **"... what?"

**Roboute: **"We'll settle this like men! I challenge you ... to a drag race!!"

**Vulkan: **"What?!?!"

**Roboute: **"Do you accept?"

**Alpharious: **"What? Now? Guys, we have a universe to save!"

**Vulkan: **"Very well. Challenge accepted!"

**Alpharious: **"This is crazy!"

**Robute: **"Higgins, get the Blue Mobile ..."

_A Space Marine salutes, then runs off to the landing craft. A short while later, a Rhino decked out with far more fur and neon lights than should be legal rolls down the ramp in front of the Primarchs. _

**Roboute: **"Introducing the Blue Mobile, a super-hotrod pumped-up snizz-snazz cool-road wheel-turning babe-magnet extraordinare! Choose your rig Vulkan!"

**Vulkan: **jerks a thumb over his shoulder "Betty back there".

**Roboute: **"That old thing? What makes you think she stands a chance?"

**Vulkan: **"'cause while you've covered your rig in worthless crap, I replaced the engine with one designed for Salamander scout Chimeras with an in-built nitrogen oxide injector. In short, man; fuzzy dice don't do crap for speed".

**Roboute: **"We shall see ... HIGGINS!"

**Higgins: **"Rhinos, line up on the starting line!"

**Alpharious: **"I can't believe they're doing this ... you're both stupid, I hope you realise this!!"

_Who will win? Who cares? Find the answers to these exciting questions in the next few chapters of Primarchs!!_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

**Thought for the Day: **When you face defeat and consider surrendering to the trials the Emperor gives to you, remember the Commissar, and what he will do to your sorry ass if you even **think** about dropping that lasgun. Now that Bloodthirster won't look so scary anymore ...

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_As various plots are revealed and the galaxy spirals into a war unlike any it has ever seen (go GW over-hype!), Russ, Magnus and Ferrus head to the ruins of the Al'cir Craftworld, hanging above the dead world of Klerathor. _

**Russ: **"One-eyed sack".

**Magnus: **"Pea-brained lump"

**Russ: **"Nerd"

**Ferrus: **"ENOUGH! I've had to endure you two insulting each other since we left the _Vengeful Spirit III_, and they're not even **good** insults. They're childish and pathetic".

**Russ: **"And you would be what? The insult master?"

**Ferrus: **"As a matter of fact ..."

**Russ: **"Bah" to Magnus "Loser"

**Magnus: **"Smelly"

**Russ: **"Ginger"

**Magnus: **"OK **now** it's personal"

**Ferrus: **"Magnus! Leman! Will you both **shut up!**"

**Russ: **"Or what?"

**Ferrus: **"Or I will spam your inbox with so much rule thirty-four of the **wrong** kind you'll never want to have sex again for the rest of your immortal life"

**Russ: **"...."

**Ferrus: **"That's better, Magnus?"

**Magnus: **"Sure, want my email address?"

**Russ: **"You seriously need to get laid ..."

**Magnus: **"Well if a certain someone hadn't stolen all the girls back in Crusade School ..."

**Ferrus: **"No more warnings guys. Any more, and we're all sitting down for a nice surfing session of Rotton"

_Stunned silence._

**Ferrus: **"Er ... you guys have been in **war zones** ... you've seen mutilated dead corpses right?"

**Magnus: **"From a distance ... but psychic mega death blasts generally don't leave anything behind to post on questionable web sites".

**Russ: **"I maintain a strict no-looking-at-the-corpses policy when fighting".

**Ferrus: **"I can't believe it ... you're all a bunch of wimps. Either that or too much /b/ had desensitised me to the horrors of the galaxy. No wonder they use it for Grey Knight training".

**Magnus: **"That explains their obsession with cats, and white ones in particular ..."

**Ferrus: **"Oh! It's Caturday!" _Ferrus spins around in his chair to face his ninja-PC of quad-core awesomeness (with eight-way parallel graphics cards and more RAM than you could shake a Titan at). _"I need more lolcatz!! MORE LOLCATZ!!!"

_A hassled looking aid runs up. She's the typical hollywood computer nerd; she would look incredibly hot if she took off her glasses and let her hair down. _

**Typical Hot Female Nerd: **"Sir, we're having difficulty connecting to a server from our location. Something about the planet below seems to be interferring with the wireless"

**Magnus: **"Is it the planet, or the craftworld? We should see it soon over the horizon"

**Russ: **"Why did we exit the Warp on the complete opposite side of the planet to the craftworld we want to visit?"

**Ferrus: **"For dramatic digital camera shots that I could take and post on every image board I frequent, just so my fellow anonymous can declare their envy of me"

**Magnus: **"Brother, you're a Primarch. You're made of win and awesome anyway. Why do you need more praise?"

**Ferrus: **"I need **Nerd** praise Magnus! Not respect from the common jock and fellow uneducated masses! I need praise from those who matter, the ones who rule nations and become chairmen of multi-billion credit software companies! I need their praise, Magnus! Praise of people like me!"

**Magnus: **"I know I've never understood computers, or why you would want to download books instead of having beautiful hard-bound copies with sweet-smelling leather jackets you could pour through on rainy afternoons ..." _Shakes his head to break himself out of the dream, and lays a hand on Ferrus' shoulder_. "But as one nerd to another; you have my respect".

**Ferrus: **"Wow, cheers man".

**Russ: **"Are you two finished developing your characters, because the craftworld's in sight?" _He points out the giant stained glass window (cool gothic!) that serves as the viewscreen towards the elegant geometry of the distant craftworld, now peaking above the horizon of the dead world beneath_.

**Ferrus: **"I see it. We should be within communications range in ... now actually. When did you upgrade the comms Fred?"

**Typical Hot Female Nerd (Winifred, aka 'Fred'): **"I fine-tuned the flux capacitor and upgraded the quantum string dimension filter while simultaneously hybridising the two filament generators to emit tachyon pulses in sinc with the dilithium matrix".

**Magnus: **"Cool".

**Russ: **"What the hell did she just say? I ask the two big nerds here ..."

**Ferrus: **"She made the talky-thing work better"

**Russ: **"Witchcraft!!"

**Ferrus: **"No, just the latest AdMech technology, Fred here's their best techpriest".

**Magnus & Russ: **"You're a Techpriest?"

**Russ: **"But lassy, you're _hot_! You could do without the glasses and you might want to change your hair ... but you're hot! Most Techpriests I've seen have too much cybernetics in all the wrong places."

**Fred: **"Er ... cheers. FYI the glasses are personal hololithic crystal-stacked viewscreens to supply me with detailed information without having to lug around a flatscreen everywhere, which Ferrus can do because he's a **Primarch**, and I'm not. The hair is practical, I let it down when I'm out partying with my friends. And as for the cybernetics ..." _She opens the thick brown robes she wears to reveal most of her chest has been replaced with various hissing tubes and glowing crystal-stacked displays. _"I'm a Cogitator, these are slave processors to aid mental calculations. I can work on eight to the power twenty six projects at any given time. Then there's the extra hard drive space, which does come in handy ..."

**Ferrus: **"Pron?"

**Fred: **"You wish ..." _She closes the robes. _"Answer your questions?"

**Russ: **"About what underwear you prefer? Definitely. Fred, you've forever changed how I see the AdMech. I thought you were all freaky technology-obsessed nutters. Now I see a whole new side".

**Fred: **"Oh?"

**Russ: **"**Hot** freaky technology-obsessed nutters. Forever changed babe, forever changed".

**Fred: **_turning to Ferrus. _"Do we have to bring him along with us?"

**Ferrus: **"I'm afraid so. I recommended updating your version of IdiotFilter to the latest; it has audio blocking as an option".

**Fred: **"Nice".

_Fred suddenly turns around and bows as a large figure walks up the stairs to the raised podium above the normal hussle of the bridge where the Primarchs bicker. Like Fred, he too is a Techpriest but far less subtle about it, with a dozen mechadendrites that float about and a servo-skull familiar with 'Bob' cut into the forehead that follows around near his head._

**Ferrus: **"Derek!"

**Derek, Xenoarchaeologist: **"My lord Manus, my lords Magnus and Russ, I trust I find you all suitably well with disks defragged and processors running at optimal speeds?"

**Ferrus: **_pats his computer lovingly_ "Defragged her this morning Derek".

**Derek: **"Excellent my lord. Have we contacted the craftworld?"

**Russ: **"Sorry, we forgot after Fred distracted us".

_Fred shoots him a Strength 10 AP1 look._

**Ferrus: **_switching on a small device next to him_. "Calling Craftworld Al'cir, do you hear us? This is the _l77t h1X0r _of the Imperial Navy_. _Craftworld Al'cir, do you hear us?"

_Silence greets them, then settles down to have a cup of coffee._

**Russ: **"Maybe they're all dead?"

**Ferrus: **"Would explain why Eldrad called it the Craftworld of Despair".

**Magnus: **"Excellent, no one would object to us browsing the library then!"

**Russ: **"Is all you ever think about is books?"

**Magnus: **"Is all you ever think about fighting and f- sleeping with women?"

_A small Daemon stirs from where it was sleeping ontop of Ferrus' computer_.

**Daemon: **"That's it mate. Keep it PG-13!"

**Russ: **"Damn Lorgar and his little pets!"

**Daemon: **"Hey, you try being the physical manifestation of Parental Guidance, and we'll see how **you** do enforcing it!"

**Ferrus: **"Go back to sleep ..." _As the Daemon drifts off, he turns back to the Primarchs and Techpriests. _"Prepare a boarding craft, we leave for Al'cir within the hour".

_Meanwhile, back on Terra ..._

**DECEIVER: **"Are our agents in place?"

**Necron Lord: **"Yes, my lord. Our allies within the Adeptus Mechanicus have infiltrated the remaining parts of the organisation still loyal to the Corpse-God. One of our agents is with the Cyclops, the Wolf, and the 177t H4X0r ... I mean the Iron Hand".

**DECEIVER: **"Where are the three?"

**Necron Lord: **"They have arrived at Al'cir, and are boarding it as we speak. They seek the Key of Despair!"

**DECEIVER: **"They shall fail ... all shall fail before us and our glorious masters! Not that you may ever speak their name, but know that the Sorting Algorithm of Evil has more layers above you than just me".

**Necron Lord: **"I am pleased you will not be the final boss fight, my lord".

**DECEIVER: **"No go! Find me the Black Library, find me the ULTIMATE WEAPON!"

**Necron Lord: **"By your command ..."

**DECEIVER: **"Don't do that ..."

_On the other side of the galaxy, Khan, Konrad and Angron approach the Endless Hells of Kith._

**Angron: **"Are those Tyranids?"

**Konrad: **"Are those Zerglings?"

**Angron: **"This should be fun. The bright side is that they seem to be fighting each other. The downside is the Battle Key's somewhere in the middle, and I don't have Jim Raynor's phone number"

**Konrad: **_Unpacking his Assassin-balls_. "What are you afraid of? We're Primarchs!"

**Angron: **"Yeah, but we still only have a 2" kill zone in combat!"

**Konrad: **"Good point. This should be interesting"

_The communication device crackles, and a voice can be heard over the line_.

**Voice: **"hello? Unidentified Imperial vessel, this is Andrew Room! Please help me! They've both trying to kill me!"

**Angron: **"**Very** interesting ..."


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

**Thought for the Day: **When in Commorragh, do **not** open your door to anyone, even if they claim their innocent girl scouts selling cookies to raise funds for the elderly ... actually **especially** if they claim to be innocent girl scouts.

**Slaanesh: **"Hmm ... girl scouts ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Just ... just STOP TALKING!!!"

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_In the middle of an inter-species war between the Tyranids and the Zerg, our trio of bloodthirsty heroes - Angron, Konrad, and Khan - find themselves offering shelter for a oddly familiar individual named Andrew Room._

**Angron: **"So why are they **both** trying to kill you?"

**Andrew Room: **"Erm ... no reason ..."

**Angron: **"Now why don't we believe you?"

**Konrad: **"Because he's sweating profusely out of every pore on his body, cannot stay still for a moment, and avoids eye contact whenever he talks to us?"

**Angron: **"Cheers, I knew there were many good reasons as to why we're not believing him"

**Konrad: **"I was talking to Room, Ang, although now I think about it I don't know what made me think you were keeping up with the dialogue".

**Angron: **"With the what?"

**Konrad: **"Dialogue Ang - what we're doing now!"

**Angron: **"Standing around a mortal in a badly lit room trying to get him to tell us why two entire alien species are chasing him - and now us - around a planet?"

**Konrad: **"Yeah ... that ... anyway, Mr Room. We know you're hiding something, and we need you to tell us ... and you will tell us ... because I can be ... **very** persuasive ..."

**Andrew Room: **_Loudly swallows in fright._

_Konrad clicks his fingers, and several Thralls walk in carrying a small TV set which they place before Andrew. Konrad clicks his fingers again, and another Thrall appears carrying a VHS tape. _

**Andrew Room: **"What is this?!?"

**Konrad: **"You strike me as a sci-fi enthusiast Mr Room, so I'm sure you'll appreciate the joy that is the _Star Wars Holiday Special_".

_Angron and Khan visible wince._

**Angron: **"Dude ..."

**Konrad: **"If you don't tell us what we want ... I'll have it on **repeat**"

**Andrew: **"OK! I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK!!"

**Konrad: **"Really? Could we at least watch Carrie Fisher sing?"

**Andrew: **"I'm talking! I'm talking now!! I'm not Andrew Room! I'm Andy Chambers!!"

**Angron & Konrad: **"Who?"

**Andy Chambers, ex-40K Overfiend: **"Erm ... ex games designer?" _The Primarchs shake their heads, they still don't remember. _"I wrote the Lost and the Damned list?" _they shake their heads again. _"I co-wrote the previous Chaos Codex?" _More shaking of the heads. _"With Pete Haines?"

**Angron: **"HAINES!!!"

**Konrad: **"Calm down brother, the time will come when we shall have revenge for the Iron Warrior army list, but not now!!"

**Andy Chambers: **"So none of you know who I am?"

**Konrad: **"Sorry, we rarely pay attention to who writes the books"

**Andy Chambers: **"Oh" _he's clearly off-put_ "Well, anyway the Tyranids want to eat me for the 3rd Edition Codex, and the Zerg insist I nerfed them for _Starcraft II_"

**Konrad: **"And did you?"

**Andy Chambers: **"So I made Zergling rushes almost impossible. They were like Rhino Rushes; they deserved to die!!"

**Angron: **"I say we feed him to the bugs".

**Andy Chambers: **"What?"

_A Thrall comes rushing in ..._

**Thrall: **"Lord Night Haunter ... we have incoming messages from both alien fleets"

**Konrad: **"What? Since when have either of them been sociable? Oh well, everyone to the bridge - except Andy".

_Several minutes later ..._

**Bald Man: **_His image projected on a huge hololithic display. _"I am Magos Baragos, representative of the Hive Mind. We demand the transfer of the being you call 'Andy Chambers' immediately!"

**Spiky-haired woman: **_Her image next to that of Baragos_. "I am Sarah Kerrigan, and as far as you can be concerned I **am **the Overmind. **I **demand the transfer of Andy Chambers to us immediately!"

**Baragos: **"Hands off! We found him first!"

**Kerrigan: **"He works for Blizzard now! Bugger off!"

**Baragos: **"This is **our **universe!"

**Konrad: **"Wait ... wait ... what's the problem here?"

**Baragos: **"Chambers is wanted for crimes against Tyranids - from the 2nd Ed Codex to the 3rd Ed, we demand JUSTICE!!"

**Kerrigan: **"Same here! We want the Zergling rush restored to its former power!"

**Baragos: **"Our cause is more just!"

**Kerrigan: **"No it is not!!"

**Konrad: **"ENOUGH! Right, we're not interested in Chambers, we merely want the Key of Battle, part of six to open the Gates of Varl. Do you know where it is?"

**Kerrigan: **"Sure, it's on the planet, I would give you the co-ordinates ... if you give me Chambers".

**Baragos: **"She lies! I know the co-ordinates, and I will give Chambers to you for them!"

**Konrad: **"Sound off"

**Thrall: **"Aye sir".

_A little icon at the bottom right of the screen is emptied._

**Konrad: **"Now they can't hear us ... which one Angron?"

**Angron: **"I'm inclined to trust the Tyranids more seeing that they're part of this fictional universe and the Zerg are American wannabies, but on the other hand Sarah's cute with her Zergly arms and all ... what do you think Khan?"

**Khan: **penetrating gaze

**Angron: **"I agree"

**Konrad: **"What did he say?"

**Angron: **"The Zerg. They can bugger off afterwards and leave us with the Tyranids, or maybe the 'nids will follow and they'll feature in a _StarCraft II _expansion pack ..."

**Konrad: **"Agreed ... sound up!"

_The little icon at the bottom right of the screen fills up._

**Kerrigan: **"You think I'm cute?"

**Angron: **"You can lip read?"

**Kerrigan: **"I'm a telepath. So, you will give us Chambers?"

**Baragos: **"What? Oh just because she's got breasts!"

**Konrad: **"Cut him off"

**Thrall: **"Aye sir!"

**Konrad: **"We'll teleport Chambers over to you now ..." _One of the Thralls nods. _"Do you have him?"

**Kerrigan: **"Oh yes, Andy will be enjoying my cooking later"

_A high-pitch scream is heard off-camera._

**Kerrigan: **"I'm transfering the co-ordinates now ... so, big guy, what's your name?"

**Angron: **"Ang-"

**Konrad: **"Later, we've got work to do! Cut her off!"

**Kerrigan: **"Bye Angron! The Meat Cleaver at five sounds perfect! I'll love to see _300_ with you afterwards!"

_Screen flickers off._

**Konrad: **"What the ... ? Oh right ... telepath. I'm impressed - your mind works that fast?"

**Angron: **"Dude, we've already done the pre-main course conversation" _He taps his forehead _"all in here ... all in here man ..." _He starts slowly walking away ... in style ..._ "the Angrinator is back baby ... oooh yeah ..."

**Konrad: **"Heaven help us ... feed the co-ordinates the Spiky-haired one gave us into the system, hopefully we'll get the Battle Key in time for Angron to meet his date and I can finally get back to the pub ... I so need a drink ..."

_Meanwhile ... on the giant fortess lesser mortals call The Rock (unfortunately without Sean Connery in sight ...)_

**Strange Girl: **"So ... they've escaped?"

**Watcher in ... oh sod it - Moogle: **"Yes Queen".

**Strange Girl: **"Excellent, all is proceeding to plan. Let them go, let them find the Oracle of Oblivion and obtain the Final Key. It is all part of my plan. Now go - let us continue to implement the next phase of our plan!"

**Moogle: **"Yes Queen" _The Moogle disappears into the darkness ..._

_Who is this Queen? What is their plan? Will Angron and Kerrigan get to any kind of base whatsoever? What will the kids look like? Who knows? Who cares? All these answers - and (unfortunately) more - await in the following chapters of Primarchs!_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

**Thought for the Day: **Pie plates do **not** mean tasty food delivery systems in war.

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_As the Moogles begin their horrifying plan, the Deceiver begins his own search for a great weapon of certain Plot Resolution, and the Emperor leads the assault force on Terra, the Primarchs edge closer to retrieving the Keys of Carl. Dorn, Perturabo and Corax arrive at the borders of the Great Ork Empire of Garlock in their search for the Key of Hope._

**Corax: **"_I sit here watching the sorrow of life continue, and I wonder what, at the end of it all, is the point? Is life but an endless sea of mistakes to be repeated over and over again? Or are we doomed to never learn from the horrors we commit? 4th Edition seems to prove this ..."_

**Dorn: **"Hey! Shinji! Get your ass over here!"

**Perturabo: **"He's talking to you Corax".

**Corax: **"I gathered, not likely he'll ever talk to you that way despite the two of you apparently being ancient rivals"

**Perturabo: **"Used to be, then they got rid of the Preferred Enemy rules with the latest Codices, so everything's apparently buddy-buddy now with extra flowers and cheese".

**Dorn: **"Tell me about it ... I thought we used to be at **war?"**

**Perturabo: **"Apparently it was a Long War which everyone got bored of after the first five thousand years, so they created the Necrons and Tyranids to give us new things to kill".

**Dorn: **"Ahh ... good times".

**Perturabo: **"Hell yeah ... back when Obliterators were tougher and more numerous, and I had Basilisks in my army ..."

**Corax: **"Well if you guys stopped fighting with such small forces and actually started fielding armies you could use whatever you want ..."

_Small pause ..._

**Perturabo: **"Do you think that's enough advertisement for _Apocalypse_?"

**Dorn: **"Yeah I think we've fulfilled our quote for GW. Right, now that sponsership obligation crap is out of the way, are we there yet?"

**Thrall (possibly the same one as last time): **"Yes sir, the Empire of Garlock is ahead".

**Dorn: **"Open the communications channel" _the Thrall nods_ "ATTENTION ORK WARLORD KNOWN AS GARLOCK!! THIS IS ROGAL DORN OF THE IMPERIAL FISTS LEGION!"

**Corax: **whispering "Chapter!"

**Dorn: **"LEGION! WE ARE VERY MUCH A LEGION! WITH EXTRA LEGION-NESS ADDED ON TOP! WITH A LEGION CHERRY!"

**Corax: **"Fine ... ignore me"

**Perturabo: **"He wasn't, that was disagreeing with what you said ..."

**Dorn: **"Did he hear me?"

**Perturabo: **"Corax or Garlock?"

**Dorn: **"No, Asdrubael-frickin'-Vect; of course I meant Garlock"

**Perturabo: **"Oh good, Vect's not supposed to appear for another couple of chapters".

**Dorn: **"Now's not the time to develop a metagaming sense".

**Communications Array: **"Listen ere! We iz da hard-nuts known to youz stoopid ummies as garlok's boyz! Iz you really da Primark Rogal Don?"

**Dorn: **"Rogal **Dorn**, but yes ... I am".

**Communications Array: **"Good, cus I iz Garlock, an I don talk to anythink with less than twenty karacter levels".

**Dorn: **"I'm Epic, through-and-through. So broken, I make the baby Jesus cry ... if the baby Jesus played D&D ... which might not go down well in some parts ... I should probably stop there ..."

**Perturabo: **"Who's Jesus anyway?"

**Dorn: **"One of dad's old personalities. Back when he started religions for kicks, before he became serious and adopted the whole 'Imperial Truth' crap".

**Perturabo: **"Before our time then ..."

**Garlock: **"I izn't interested in no baby Jezus or whatever. I iz interested in youz, and what youz is doing inside my turf!"

**Dorn: **"We're here to obtain the Key of Hope, nothing more, nothing less".

**Garlock: **"Well ... that's too bad innit?"

**Dorn: **"I'm sorry?"

**Garlock: **"Just soz appens I'm in a new shonen manga, and youz knows what appens in shonen mangas?"

**Dorn: **"Pointless series of rediculous power-ups with no end in sight as long as the audience keeps buying, _Dragonball Z_-style?"

**Garlock: **"Gotcha. Ma publisher wants me to find someonez uber enuff for me to beat and get a big-ass power-up from it. Soz I sit around and think for a bit, cause no one around here's big enuff for me anymorez, then YOU turn up in your big fancy ship and youz is PRIMARCH, soz I think - RATINGS TIME Garlock!! New story arc!! Should be fun!!"

**Dorn: **"I don't exactly have the time, and you're not exactly the opponent I'm looking for. You're an Ork Warboss, I'm a Primarch. It won't be fair".

**Garlock: **"Really? Cus the way Iz see it iz that a Boss almost killed your Emperor, and your Emperor iz arder than you ... soz that makes us bosses arder than Primarchs by uver nine THAAASAAAND!!!"

**Dorn: **"Oh ... good point. What was dad doing?"

**Garlock: **"Gettin beaten!"

**Dorn: **"Yeah alright we get the message. Point taken. Background fluff contradicting itself as always. I'm supposed to be dead from old age, but apparently I'm immortal. Go figure. Alright Garlock, we'll give you an epic battle to cover the next few episodes but we want in the Key of Hope in return ... agreed?"

**Garlock: **"Gotcha! I'll let you in!"

**Perturabo: **"Let us in? This is space? How are you going to stop us? There's three dimensions! Unless you have a giant sphere around your empire!"

**Garlock: **"Pretty much ... notice anythink different? Like a lack of something you normally see?"

**Dorn: **"Now you mention it I don't see many stars around ..."

**Garlock: **"Thatz because my empire's in the way!"

**Corax: **"It's a Dyson Sphere guys ..."

**Perturabo: **"What ... it's a giant hoover?"

**Corax: **"No stupid, it's a giant sphere around a sun, the empire of Garlock's probably inside the sphere"

**Garlock: **"That emo kidz got it!"

**Corax: **"What? Oh how comes the xenos get to make fun as well? You're supposed to be my brothers - stand up for me!"

**Perturabo: **"Why? The Ork's right ... and Orks are cool, so we're not going to argue with anything they point out".

**Dorn: **"I didn't know you were a Greenie!"

**Perturabo: **_Opens armour chest plate to reveal a green t-shirt underneath with 'I iz Green Inside!"_ _on it in white writing._ "Got the membership pack after the latest Codex"

**Dorn: **"I've been a fan since 2nd Ed"

**Perturabo: **"Whatever ..."

_As they bicker the space outside splits open and reveals a huge door. _

**Dorn: **"Helm, take us into the Dyson Sphere!"

**Perturabo: **"Excellent, we're getting some action for our Key, wonder how the rest are doing?"

_Meanwhile ..._

**Angron: **"So ... how was that for you?"

**Kerrigan: **_shifts slightly from where she lies on the bed next to Angron. _"I never usually on the first date ... but you were just so-"

**Perturabo:** "Oh for crying out loud! Angron? WHY?!?! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY WHY DOES ANGRON GET SO LUCKY?!?!"

**Dorn: **"Because you're a table-top wargamer ..."

_The Primarchs look at the reader ..._

**Perturabo: **"Smart move Dorn ... smart move ..."

_After insulting our readers what will Perturabo and Dorn do? What about Corax? Who cares about him anyway? Find out the answers to these gripping questions in the next chapters of Primarchs!!_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

**Thought for the Day: **Behold the Catachan Toad! It's built-in evolutionary defense mechanism to to annihilate both itself and vast tracts of the Catachan jungle! Why the hell isn't Catachan a wasteland by now?

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_As various plans are put into motion, and our heroes march onwards in their quest, the last group, that of Mortarion, Sanguinius and Fulgrim head towards the legendary Daemonworld of Ibris for the Key of Desire!_

**Mortarion: **"Why's it legendary?"

**Fulgrim: **"Ever wonder who seeds all the torrented porn on the Warpnet?"

**Mortarion: **"No"

**Fulgrim: **"Oh ... well they do"

**Mortarion: **"That it? Nothing awesome like 'resting place of great evil', or 'hosts eternal battles between great Daemon Lords of old', or 'will feature in the next Uriel Ventris novel'?"

**Fulgrim: **"Nope. Just miles and miles of high-speed servers"

**Mortarion: **"This planet's boring ... if anyone needs me I'll be in the back writing poetry"

**Sanguinius: **"We won't need you, don't worry"

**Mortarion: **"Oh ... well ... good"

_Mortarion heads off, leaving the other two Primarchs standing beside a large hololithic projection map that takes up a good portion of the astronavitorium. Several Thralls and Imperial Navy crew stand side-by-side sharing foul looks with each other while comparing fan-made stats and rules._

**Sanguinius: **"Right, now that emo kid's been removed from the scene lets get down to business. Eldrad said the Key might be somewhere on this world"

**Fulgrim: **"Makes sense - Key of Desire, a planet full of Slaanesh-worshipping sex addicts? Makes sense to me"

**Sanguinius: **"Which is why it's probably not on there"

**Fulgrim: **"We won't know until we look ... thoroughly of course ..."

**Sanguinius: **"Indeed ... very thoroughly ... every corner ... down every sofa ..."

**Fulgrim: **"Sofas ... yeah ... "

_There is an uncomfortable silence._

**Sanguinius: **"So ..."

**Fulgrim: **"Now you're corporeal and no longer a psychic projection ..."

**Sanguinius: **"A break might be in order ... just a little one ... a small relaxing 'welcome back to the living' celebration ..."

**Fulgrim: **"And I could do with meeting my daily Slaaneshi worship quota ... having been pursuing much excess lately ..."

**Sanguinius: **"Faith is the most important aspect in a man's life Fulgrim, pursue it rigidly"

**Fulgrim: **"Indeed ..."

**Mortation: **_Calling from just outside the room. _"If you guys want to go off and have lots of sex I can look for the Key by myself ... guys? Guys?" _Mortation pokes his head into the room, only to find it empty. _"Wow ... that was fast ..."

_Meanwhile, on the Fields of Glory ..._

**Roboute: **"Come on! Pump that engine baby!"

**Alpharious: **_Hanging onto the side of Roboute's pimped-up Rhino. _"Well that was an interesting comment to make after the scene transition ..."

**Roboute: **"What man? Stop talkin', I'm driving!"

_The Rhino steers around a corner, hugging the edge of the drop into the canyon below. _

**Alpharious: **"Why did I choose your Rhino? Vulkan's looked safer!"

**Roboute: **"It's safer 'cause it slow man! I'll win this race no problem - just you see!"

**Alpharious: **"Watch out for that rock monster!"

_Bang._

**Roboute: **"What rock? Hey ... why are we slowing down man?"

**Alpharious: **"It's wedged in the front of the Rhino! It's digging its heels in! It's trying to stop the vehicle!"

**Roboute: **"Here man, take this Melta gun and try and melt him free"

**Alpharious: **"Do rock monsters feel pain?"

**Roboute: **"It will if it loose me my race man!"

**Alpharious: **"Alright" _Starts blasting at the frightened rock monster with the Melta Gun. _"I think it's screaming ..."

**Roboute: **"No man, that's just my pumped-up mega-fast turbo-smooth sup-in-you-face engine"

**Alpharious: **"No ... I think the rock monster's screaming"

**Roboute: **"And I'm telling you it's ma engines! Here, give me the gun and I'll do it!"

**Alpharious: **"Then who's driving?!?"

**Roboute: **"You are!"

**Alpharious: **"What?!?!?!" _Grabs the wheel._ "What the hell? I can't drive!"

**Roboute: **"You're a Parimarch!!"

**Alpharious: **"That doesn't mean I know how to drive! I do sneaky! I'm a very sneaky person! I don't do driving!!"

**Roboute: **"Just turn the wheel in the direction of the finish line!"

**Alpharious: **"Where is it!"

**Roboute: **"It's the big white flag!!"

**Alpharious: **"The one with the green Rhino parked under it?"

**Roboute: **"Yeah ... WAIT WHAT?!?!"

_In the distance a lone figure in green armour waves casually towards them._

**Roboute: **"Son of a ... WATCH THE ROAD!!"

**Alpharious: **"WHAT ROAD?!?!"

**Roboute: **"IT'S THE PART OF THE CANYON THAT'S FLAT! STAY ON ... oh crap ..."

_Several miles away, Vulkan casually smokes some random plant extract as he watches Roboute's Rhino roll down the canyon. _

**Vulkan: **"Hope he's got insurance ..."

**Magnus: **"So where is everyone?"

_He looks around him. Where he stands with Ferrus, Russ, and the small team of Techpriests and Space Marines (From all three Chapters/Legions) assembled in the middle of the deserted Craftworld, there is nothing to see but decaying wraithbone and similar psycho-plastic buildings. No one is sight._

**Ferrus: **"If they were going to abandon the place they could have at least put it up for sale on the propety market. I'd love a pad like this. That big building over there would be awesome for a LAN party!"

**Fred: **"Oh yeah ... wraithbone makes for great download speed, we have an in-built network that comes with the place!"

**Russ: **"Do you two think you could stop talking about computers and gaming for one moment?"

**Ferrus & Fred: **"No"

**Russ: **"Grrrr ..."

**Magnus: **"Calm yourself Russ ... we have a Key to find. First guesses of where to look people?"

**Derek: **"That building" _He points at an ominous-looking tower built in the middle of a large plaza._

**Magnus: **"Wait ... this looks similar ... isn't this from _The Subtle Knife_?"

**Russ: **"I don't see no soul-sucking Daemons ..."

**Magnus: **"Well no ... that's the point. And they're Spectres ... the Daemons are something different, and mostly good"

**Russ: **"Daemons are Daemons ... they should all die!"

**Magnus: **"I can see why Daemons Against Malicious Negativity And Terrible Injustice Of Nurglings LOVES you"

**Russ: **"Err ... what?"

**Derek: **"Are we agreed?"

**Magnus: **"What?"

**Ferrus: **"The tower ... yeah it's a good place to start ... lets go"

**Derek: **"Excellent ... he he he"

**Magnus: **"Was that an evil snigger?"

**Derek: **"No it wasn't"

**Magnus: **"'Cause I'm sure I heard evil sniggering ..."

**Derek: **"It was the wind"

**Magnus: **"In a Craftworld?"

**Derek: **"Er ... yes. Wraith-wind. Happens all the time ..."

_As the techpriests and Space Marines head off, Magnus leans close to Ferrus._

**Magnus: **"Careful of Derek, brother. I don't believe he's all he says he is"

**Ferrus: **"You only just noticed? Dude. I've played way too many computer games to trust creepy monotone guys. I'll keep an eye on him. Come on - lets find this Key and get out of this ghost town. It's like _Silent Hill_ meets _Fallout_ around here ... and not in a good way"

_They walk off towards the tower, oblivious to the scuttling menance following them in the shadows of the ruins ..._

**Ferrus: **"Insert creepy music ... and fade to black ..."

_What he said ..._


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

**Thought for the Day: **Treasure this moment; for tomorrow you could be dead and your soul painfully ravaged by the hellish hordes of the Warp at the command of uncaring Gods!

**Tzeentch: We do care ... okay maybe not about YOU, but we CARE. **

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_Within the dead Craftworld of Al'cir, Magnus, Russ, and Ferrus lead a small team of Space Marines (of both gribbly and bland flavours) and Adeptus Mechanicus Tech-priests into the ominous tower at the very centre of the Eldar vessel!_

**Ferrus: **"Actually it's about five miles off the centre"

_Yeah ... but it sounds cooler when I twist the truth somewhat. You must be used to this by now with GW fluff._

**Ferrus: **"Good point. Fred, what are your Super-AdMech TM sense picking up?"

**Fred: **_Various antenna have sprouted from her right arm, and as she gently waves it about strange noises can be heard emanating from it. _"Picking up great hotspots for decent bandwith, my lord. If we stick the router here we can get a decent latency on _Unreal Tournament III_"

**Ferrus: **"Excellent, remember what I told you earlier L-man?"

**Russ: **"Low lag equals happy fragging?"

**Ferrus: **"Damn straight big bro"

**Magnus: **"Actually there's not much evidence to suggest that the numbering of our Legions corresponds to the order in which we were artificially created. It would be logical, but when has dad ever been logical?"

**Russ: **"You mean buggering off to work on his Webway science project instead of finishing the Crusade, just so he could download all the live video porn Commorragh streams daily?"

**Magnus: **"I was thinking of asking you to obliterate Prospero because I accidently broke said Webway science project with a **legitimate** warning of Horus' little galactic domination scheme ... but yeah. Putting porn over the unification of the galaxy was a little screwey"

**Russ: **"That was not legitimate! That was **witchcraft!**"

**Magnus: **"Do I look like Harry Potter?"

**Russ: **"Those books must burn! Tainting our little children with ideas of magic and adventure!"

**Magnus: **"Good Gods, you're impossible ..."

**Ferrus: **"Will you two shut up about bloody Prospero! Magnus, you do know Horus was the one who told Russ to burn it?"

**Magnus: **"What? Since when? No wait ... don't tell me. The new fluff right?"

**Ferrus: **_Nods._

**Magnus: **"Blood hell ... just when I finally managed to remember all the old stuff they go ahead and bloody change it. Why?"

**Ferrus: **_He shrugs._ "I don't know. Not sure what was wrong with the old stuff. Maybe the thought of you lot falling to Chaos through classic Human failings betrayed ... well your Human sides. As we Primarchs are **obviously** not based upon Human genetic material and are **obviously** super-powered uber-elite **GODS** then we can't fall through things like pride, anger, hate, and fear as Yoda would most likely warn, so we need stuff like **Plot Device Daemon Swords**, **Cliche Evil Lieutenants**, and **Five Second Heel-Faced Turns** done over a single page to turn us to Chaos. It **obviously **makes more sense. Have you finished using me as your ranting mouthpiece Lastie?"

_Yeah ... that'll do for now. I'll continue to take my medication._

**Ferrus:** "OK, guys you can come up now the Author Filibuster as ended"

**Magnus: **"Thank the Gods for that ... I'll deal with Horus later, but you still owe me a planet Russ"

**Russ: **"I owe you nothing!"

**Fred: **"Russ ... give him a planet or I'll tell the universe what the girls in the Munitorium department told me before we set out. It involves a certain something ... and size of certain something ... get me?"

**Russ: **_Visibly shaken._ "Erm ... yeah. A planet ... let me work on that one OK?"

**Magnus: **"Do so" _Smiles at Fred. _"Thank you my dear"

**Fred: **_Smiles back. _"Anytime"

_As she walks off, following the head Marines and Derek, Ferrus nudges Magnus with his elbow. _

**Ferrus: **"Get in there!"

**Magnus: **"Ferrus please ... I'm turning red ... er ..."

**Ferrus: **"At least you match your hair now ..."

= = = = = = = =

**Perturabo: **"Magnus now? Oh you are just taking the-"

= = = = = = = =

**Ferrus: **"Hear that?"

**Magnus: **"What? Perturabo moaning about his non-existent love life?"

**Ferrus: **"No, that scratching sound ..."

_They pause on the steps leading to the great tower door. Looking around, they see nothing but the dead city of the Craftworld._

**Russ: **"I hear it ... claws ... metal of unknown origin ... three feet two inches in length ... keen edge ... "

**Magnus: **"Good hearning ... what does the nose say?"

**Russ: **_He sniffs the air. _"Someone's got bad morning breath ..."

**Derek: **"My apologies ... I forgot to floss ..."

**Russ: **"Don't worry ... Fred's perfume covers it ... hmm ... lavender ... wait! A new scent! Metal ... evil ... glowing plastic rods ... a distinct air of cheese ... NECRONS!"

_The Primarchs pull weapons out from various places (don't ask) as a great metal figure appears wrapped in a shroud of darkness. As he speaks various metallic forms crawl out from beneath the earth. _

**Necron Lord: **"Pitiful Humans. Your defeat is inevitable. Resistance is futile ..."

**Ferrus: **"You will be assimilated?"

**Necron Lord: **"You wish. We just skip to the part where you die in horrifying ways"

**Ferrus: **"Don't worry! We're protected by the filter of PG-13!"

**Magnus: **"I wouldn't be too sure. Remember - Black Library can get away with scenes of gut-wrenching violence-"

**Ferrus: **"Yet no sex or bad language ... what's up with that?"

**Necron Lord: **"Rest assured the violence will be coming ... but not the sex or profanity"

**Russ: **"Don't you miss it?"

**Necron Lord: **"What?"

**Russ: **"The sex"

_The Necrons pause for a moment. _

**Necron Lord: **"Well ... yeah ... but the nigh-invulnerability kinda makes up for it. Besides, I can do this" _He points his Warscythe at the ground and fires, propelling himself up several feet._

**Ferrus: **"Wow! Gauss-jumping!"

**Magnus: **"Hang on. Warscythes don't have in-built Gauss weapons. You're cheating!"

**Necron Lord: **"So what? What are you doing to do about it?"

**Magnus: **"This ..."

Options - Select Edition - Fifth Edition *  
Options - Select Edition - Second Edition *  
Edition Changed!

_Magnus picks up a large bundle of cards. _

**Magnus: **_Huge grin on his face. _"Shall we begin the Psychic Phase?"

**Necron Lord: **"Oh shi-"


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter Twenty**_

**Thought for the Day: **Whatever you do in life, Eldar can do better ... in style ... with extra sex appeal ... and no life isn't fair.

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_After settling their disputes with the time-honoured method of drag racing, Roboute Guilliman and Vulkan now remember why they are on the Fields of Glory. _

**Alpharious: **"Are we ready now to find the Glory Key?"

_Roboute cries as his beloved Rhino is lifted up by the servitors from where it had crashed at the bottom of the canyon. _

**Vulkan: **"Easy man ... she had a good life ..."

**Roboute: **"My rig! She was a one-of-a-kind!"

**Vulkan:** "I know man ..."

**Alpharious: **"And it's bloody great, 'cause we won't see anything like it again"

_Before Roboute could turn and tear Alpharious apart ... again ... I think ... whatever ... a loud scream heralds the Rhino exploding._

**Alpharious: **"Take cover!"

**Vulkan: **"Where? We're on a flat plain desert! The only cover is jumping down the canyon!!"

**Alpharious: **"Screw that. We're Primarchs anyway. We have a 2+ Armour Save! What could hurt us?"

**Roboute: **"Wow. That's a pretty blue cork-screw effect that shot made. What is it?"

**Alpharious: **"Blue cork-screw? RAILGUNS!!"

**Roboute: **"THE STROGG!!"

**Alpharious: **"Er ... no the Tau ..."

**Roboute: **"Oh right ... that's cool then ..." _A shot impacts him in the chest, sending him flying fifty feet back into the Rhino wreckage, scattering servitors and fellow Ultramarines everywhere._

**Alpharious: **"Oh that's **so** made my century ..."

_Several Broadsides, accompanied by six Devilfish and an equal number of Firewarrior teams, approaches the Marines._

**Tau Shas'vre: **"Attention Imperial dogs! We of the glorious People's Tau Empire demand an explanation for your filthly imperialistic presence on glorious state ground!"

**Alpharious: **"'Filthy imperialists'? You're an **empire!**"

**Tau Shas'vre: **"An unfortunate mistake with translation. It happens, although not as bad as your poor dubbing for our animated exports, but we will deal with 4Children Entertainment later. Now we demand to know why you spoil our people's ground!"

**Vulkan: **"We are here for the Key of Glory xenos! We will not let you, or your humungous mecha get in our way! Stand aside, or be annihilated!"

**Roboute: **_From within the Rhino wreckage._ "Ouch ... Strength 10 **HURTS!** Guys, could you get me out of here? I'm stuck on some Rhino ..."

**Tau Shas'vre: **"The Glory Key will not fall into the hands of Imperial pigs! For the people!"

_The Broadside lowers the Railguns and fires, blasting both Vulkan and Alpharious back. Their Marines open fire, and the two side trade blows._

**Tau Shas'ui Broadside: **"Comrade! The Primarchs have many wounds and are immune to Instant Death!"

**Tau Shas'vre: **"They are only Toughness 5! Our guns wound on a 4+! Keep firing! For the Motherland!"

**Alpharious:** "I've had it with this commie fish! Vulkan - use your Meltagun on the Shas'vre! He's Toughness 4!"

**Vulkan: **"How do you know that?"

**Alpharious: **"I've memorised all the Codices"

**Vulkan: **"I knew Eldrad stuck you with us for a reason ... eat Melta death motherf-" _LOUD BURNING SOUNDS!!!_ "-er!!!"

_The Broadside disintegrates into a pile of ash. _

**Shas'ui: **"Comrade Broadside!!"

**Vulkan: **"Anyone else want some!"

**Alpharious: **"Quick! Heavy Flamer some of the Firewarrior squads! AP 4, remember?"

_More burning sounds, and screaming, and the smell of fried fish ..._

**Tau: **"We surrender!"

**Vulkan: **"We don't take prisoners from xenos!"

**Alpharious: **"We might want to this time, they could come in handy"

**Vulkan: **"How so?"

**Alpharious: **"They can lead us to the Glory Key"

**Tau Shas'ui: **"It is stored within our main citadel; you will never obtain it!!"

**Alpharious: **"I beg to differ. I have not found any fortress that my men cannot infiltrate. Ferrus banned me from playing as the Spy in _Team Fortress_ for good reason ..."

**Vulkan: **"And the Brotherhood of Nod, if I remember correctly ..."

**Alpharious: **"Not my fault he's a noob at RTS"

**Roboute: **"Guys? A little help here?"

**Vulkan: **"You! Tau! You will tell us all Alpharious needs to know about this 'citadel' of yours!"

**Tau Shas'ui: **"Or?"

**Vulkan: **"Or we will force you to talk to Roboute over there for the rest of the day"

**Tau Shas'ui: **_After one look. _"I talk. I talk about anything you want"

**Alpharious: **"Start with its location ..."

_Somewhere in deep space ..._

**Horus: **"So ... the Oracle of Oblivion ..."

**Lorgar: **"Any ideas folks? Unlike everyone else we didn't exactly get a 'ITEM LOCATION HERE' marker on our mini-maps to go by ..."

**Horus: **"The Oracle can wait ... our recent adventure proves to me I need two very important things"

**Lorgar: **"Your arms?"

**Horus: **"Indeed. It's annoying having Thrall stand behind me and pick things up on my behalf ... not to mention somewhat disturbing ..."

**Lion:** "We ... need to find ... a biomancer?"

**Horus: **"Yes, and the best would be Fabius Bile ..."

**Lorgar: **"So where's Bile? I don't remember it being mentioned in the Codex ..."

**Lion: **"One man will know ... he regularly sends Bile fresh meat to work with. Part of their ... 'arrangement' ... if I remember ... correctly ..."

**Lorgar: **"Who's that?"

**Lion: **"Asdrubael Vect ..."

**Horus: **"Oh good Gods ... not him ... anyone but him ..."

**Lorgar: **"Lion's got a point; if anyone knows where anyone in this galaxy is, it's Vect. Gods knows he's slept with half the galaxy anyway ..."

**Horus: **"But he's ... he's so much _cooler_ than me ... "

**Lorgar: **"That's not hard ..."

**Horus: **"What?"

**Lorgar: **"Nothing! So ... how do we get to Commorragh? It's not exactly Rome here ..."

**Lion:** "We don't ... we let Vect come to us ..."

**Lorgar: **"Of course!"

**Horus: **"What? Hey! Don't develop the plot without me!"

**Lion: **"Asrael, may we use your account?"

**Asrael: **"I don't have one ..."

**Lion: **"You're a Dark Angel, of course you have one"

**Horus: **"What's this? What the hell are you guys talking about?"

**Lorgar: **".cmrgh, now in it's fourth edition. Created and run by Vect, apparently the greatest pick-up artist in the universe and all time. Claims he can seduce **anything**, and has probably slept with them all. the site teaches his methods to anyone having trouble attracting women. Needless to say, most of the Dark Angels Chapter has accounts on the site"

**Asrael: **"Here we go ... I've posted a request on the site for a copy of _The Game: Fourth Edition, How to Pick Up Women Both Consensually and Otherwise_ with free personal tip with Vect himself, delivered owe me seventy-seven thousand credits, by the way"

**Lion: **"Noted. He should be here soon ..."

**Asdrubael Vect, Cosmopolitan's No.1 Man You Would Never, in Any Situation, Want to Take Home to Your Meet Your Parents But You'll Date The Hell Out of Him Anyway: **"Talking about me?"

_Screaming fangirls ..._

**Horus: **"Oh good Gods ..."


	21. Chapter 21

_**Chapter Twenty-one**_

**Thought for the Day:** Tyranid problems? Try new Force Bug-Spray! Guaranteed to insta-kill bugs any day of the week! Beware rules laywers.

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_Having lost Fulgrim and Sanguinius to the many temptations of Ibris, Mortarion now finds himself along in the search for the Key of Desire!_

_In a night club, somewhere in the capital city of Ibris ..._

**Mortarion: **"_I WALK A LONELY ROAD, THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAVE EVER KNOWN!_"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Sir, could you stop signing please? You're scaring the customers"

**Mortarion:** "_DON'T KNOW WHERE IT GOES, BUT IT'S HOME TO ME AND I WALK ALONE!_"

**Crab-claws Daemonette: **"How much did he have?"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Only one shot! He came in here five minutes ago, ordered the strongest stuff available, and now he's like this!"

**Crab-claws Daemonette:** "What did you give him?"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Just Budweiser, I'm not stupid enough to go straight for the potent stuff for a new customer!"

**Crab-claws Daemonette:** "Budweiser? There's more alcohol in my claw here than in that bottle!"

**Lithe Daemonette: **"But you are holding three bottles of vodka, dear ..."

**Crab-claws Daemonette:** "Yeah ... I know. That's what I said"

**Mortarion: **"_I WALK THIS EMPTY STREET, ON THE BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS!_"

**Lithe Daemonette: **"Quiet time now dear" _She wraps her arms around him seductively_.

**Mortarion:** _In a drunken slur._ "Do ya want to ere me poitree?"

**Lithe Daemonette:** _Quickly gets off him._ "Oh dear - WE'VE GOT A CODE BLACK!!"

_Alarms begin sounding, and customers start running everywhere in panic._

**Mounted Daemonette: **[Author's Note: Ha ha, very funny. I know what you were thinking there] "Everyone please leave via the designated exits, which are marked by the flashing pink signs!"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "What are we going to do with him?"

**Crab-claws Daemonette: **"Wait until the Emo Squad arrives. In the meantime, do not let him leave your sight".

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Where are you going?!?"

**Crab-claws Daemonette:** "Elsewhere ... erm ... good luck ..."

_He shuffles off, side-ways, out of the night club._

**Lithe Daemonette: **"Come back here you cheap plastic git! Argh! Those models sucked anyway ..."

**Llama:** "You think you've got problems ..."

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Sir, you should have left with the others ..."

**Llama:** "Over a fething emo Primarch? I've got better things to do with my infinite time, like wallow in depression ..."

**Mortarion:** "Whazz's wrong with yoo then?"

**Llama: **"Oh I used to be a all-powerful God way back when ... then of course, as is the way with GW, when the fluff got re-written I was lost. So I joined up with the Loser Club with those Illuminati, Sensei, and bloody Squats, before I realised I was a bigger loser than they all were. So now I'm here wallowing in my infinite depression trying to get drunk, which I can't incidently, and taking long and slow trips down memory lane ..."

**Mortarion:** "I twavel the univuss to find somewon more depwessed than me ... and it tuns ouw to be a camel with a God complex ..."

**Llama:** "Llama"

**Mortarion:** "Whatever ..."

**Llama:** "So what's your problem?"

**Mortarion:** "I got dumped"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Oh you poor thing ..."

**Mortarion: **"My fwends left me for sex. Why? Waz up with that?"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "They didn't invite you to join them?"

**Mortarion:** "Na. They all selfiss! Selfiss!"

**Llama:** "I think the Primarch will take some coffee, as will I"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Ok ... coffee ... where's the coffee ...?"

**Llama:** "So, little Primarch. What's your name?"

**Mortarion: **"Morrtreeon"

**Llama: **"So Mort, what brings you to Ibris, other than the obvious?"

**Mortarion:** "Key of Desire ... need it to opin the Gates of Val"

**Llama:** "Gates of Varl you say? Hmm ... are you by chance looking for the Fish of Time?"

**Mortarion:** "Yeh ... fish o tim"

**Llama:** "You know the Fish of Time can also grant the power to alter history? Change what has happened and remake the universe into whatever you wish by altering the flow of time and the events that have happened?"

**Mortarion:** "No"

**Llama:** "Oh ... well it can do that. Which would be very handy for me. With the Fish of Time, I can go back to being a God!"

**Mortarion:** "And that will stop you being depwessed?"

**Llama:** "Oh yes, indeed it will. He he he ... ha ha ha ... HAH HAH HAH ... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "That's such a great maniacal laughter Mr. Llama! Here's you coffee people"

_Sirens can be heard from outside._

**Llama: **"What's that?!?"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "Oh that's probably the Emo Squad here to liquidise you two before you spread negative feelings around, that's Nurgle territory you see ... oh ... sorry"

**Llama:** "What? We need to get out of here! Quick! You! Daemonette! Where the exit!"

**Lithe Daemonette:** "I can't let you go!"

**Llama:** "Tell me or I'll spit! And that'll **seriously** ruin the complexion!"

**Lithe Daemonette: **"This way! I'll show you!"

**Llama:** "You'll lead us?"

**Lithe Daemonette: **"If they find out I let you go they'll kill me anyway! In a really **boring** way, which would be dreadful!"

**Llama:** "Lead the way ... come on Mort"

**Mortarion: **"Werez we going?"

**Llama:** "To find the Key of Desire, and then the Fish of Time! And I shall be a God once again!"

**Mortarion: **"Coolz ..."

_Meanwhile ..._

**Vect:** "So there was me, this Banshee, and a Carnifex ..."

**Lorgar:** "STOP THERE! We've quite had enough of your tales to last another Age of Strife. I thought the sites Ferrus visits were bad ..."

**Vect: **"I probably run most of them"

**Lorgar: **"QUIET! THERE! IS! NO! MORE! TALKING!"

**Horus:** "Except after the following question: where's Bile? We need to find him"

**Vect:** "For the arms yes? Can't please anybody with no arms, unless you're good with your feet, although tongue does quite nicely-"

**Lorgar:** "PG-13! Vect! PG-fething-13!"

**Vect:** "Just saying ..."

**Lorgar: **"Stop saying! Stop talking! Stop making noise!"

**Vect:** _Leans forward and places a hand on Lorgar's shoulder._ "Loved your books man"

**Lorgar: **"I said ... wait. You did?"

**Vect: **"Hell yeah. Smooth and stylish, you convinced me man. You made me a believer. I stand here a change man and I believe it's down to you".

**Lorgar: **"Wow .. er ... thanks"

**Vect: **"You've got to tell me what goes on in that mind of yours ..."

**Lorgar: **"Well-"

**Vect:** "AAAND swiftly moving onwards" _He wraps an arm around Horus' shoulder._ "Last I heard of Bile he had shacked up at an orphanage somewhere near Tenrise IV. Experiments of some kind"

**Horus:** "Tenrise IV eh? Thrall?"

**Thrall:** "Setting course my lord"

**Horus:** "Vect, we owe you one. What can we do for you?"

**Vect:** _Opens his mouth._

**Horus:** "No, never, not in a million years,_ I just don't swing that way _(despite what others may insist) ... sorry. Lorgar here may be interested-"

**Lorgar:** "What!??!"

**Horus: **"I've heard from reliable sources he's considerably talented-"

**Lorgar:** "I AM NOT! Well ... I am but not with him! Or ... 'hims' in general!"

**Vect: **"Wow, Lorgar. I wouldn't have pegged you for ... er ... what do you Humans call it?"

**Horus:** "Heterosexual?"

**Vect:** "So quaint, the concept that is ..."

**Lorgar:** "I'll have you all know that I'm in a happy and stable relationship right now. She acts as my publisher, and we have a great business and personal relationship"

**Horus: **"Who the hell would ever be your girlfriend?"

**Lorgar: **_Smug smile all over his face._ "You should know her vect. Lilith Hesperax!"

**Vect: **"What? I'm calling BS! And I **don't** mean Ballistic Skill!"

**Lorgar: **"Apparently she's a Slaaneshi worshipper now. We met at the local Undivided Church, a couple of her friends were trying to get her to cross the boundary and embrace multi-cultism"

**Vect:** "Slaanesh ...?" _His face darkens. _"The GREAT ENEMY!"

**Lorgar: **"Damn that Slaanesh eh?"

**Vect: **"What? Who cares about her ... I speak of the greatest threat to Eldar kind! The Evil Beyond Words! The Destroyer of Fluff! The Ravager of Eldar! The being men call ... See Ess Gotto!!"

_Collective gasps of shock._

**Vect:** "Awesome reaction guys. Much appreciated"


	22. Chapter 22

_**Chapter Twenty-two**_

**Thought for the Day:** Blessed be the small mind - shut up and do your job. We don't avoid paying you so you can foster grand ideas of freedom, liberation and democracy!

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_Leaving Angron behind on the ship, enjoying the company of GameSpot Reader's Choice #2 Villain, Jaghatai Khan and Konrad Curze head down to the volcano-infested hell world known as the Endless Hells of Kith to search for the Key of Battle! _

**Konrad:** "So ... Khan ... I don't believe we've had time to sit down and catch up with past events since ... you know ... the 'disagreement' ..."

**Khan:** penetrating gaze

**Konrad:** "Er ... so ... how's it been?"

**Khan:** penetrating gaze

**Konrad:** "Heard you've been touring the Dark Eldar cities as an arena champion? How was that?"

**Khan:** penetrating gaze

**Konrad:** "Fun? Get much fan mail? Any merchandise?"

**Khan:** _He holds up the mug he's drinking coffe out of. The slogan 'YOU KHAN DO IT!' is clearly visible on the side in fancy Eldar-style of writing Low Gothic_. oh ... and penetrating gaze

**Konrad**: "Oh ... that's cool. So where did you come in the finals? First? Second? ... third?"

**Khan**: penetrating gaze

**Konrad**: "Well ... I can remember why no one liked you ..."

**Khan**: "You were mistaken **- **you were the unliked one"

**Konrad**: "He speaks! It's a miracle! I've spent the last hour on this Thunderhawk with no one but a mute Primarch and a bunch of mindless servitors as company and the first thing my brother says to me in ten thousand years is an insult! My life fraking sucks"

**Khan**: "That is why you were not liked. You occupy yourself with the negative, and ignore the positive that the wind brings"

**Konrad**: "Ignore the positive? What's positive about my life? I landed on the biggest pile of crap in the galaxy, and spent my early childhood feeding off the ones nice enough to keep Nostramo's population in check by jumping off the nearest high tower. I used to wake up hoping some poor sod had decided to end it all somewhere above where I would sleep so I wouldn't have to spend hours wandering the streets listening for that excited cheering from the crowds that would gather below jumpers to encourage them. That was before my precognition kicked in and I started having dreams about where the next suicides would occur. Kept me happy, and fed, until someone noticed and the crowds started following _me_ to each jumper so they could get their daily entertainment while I got my food. Eventually I got sponsorships from the major Nostramon corporations, who themselves were financed by the major crime lords of the planet. That sponsorship kept me fed, kept the suicide rate and the entertainment value up, and for a while all was good. Then they pulled the plug, blaiming 'falling ratings' as everyone started to enjoy a good suicide by jumping in front of trains as opposed to off a building. Of course, trains don't leave me much to eat when they're finished, and it's a pain walking along the tracks scraping them off the metal so I never bothered. So the sponsorship faded, and I was left defending for myself again. From that day forward, I swore vengeance against those corporations and their crime lord owners, and began my roaring rampage of revenge!"

**Khan:** "And how did that succeed for you?"

**Konrad:** "I inherited the planet"

**Khan:** "Then you blew it up"

**Konrad:** "I was in debt to the world by several trillion credits, blowing it up was the best way to cancel that debt and keep the money"

**Khan:** "A sensible option, but at the cost of much life"

**Konrad:** "Plenty more where they came from"

**Khan:** "That attitude is not one desirable for a leader"

**Konrad:** "Well in case you hadn't noticed I'm pure nightmare fuel here. Who would follow me?"

**Khan:** "An army of gremlins; you are both twisted, evil, and afraid of the light"

**Konrad:** "Oh cheers ..."

**Khan:** "Your death did not prove the point you intended it to"

**Konrad:** "I know, GW still writes pages on how evil we are. I'm surprised I don't get invitations for pantomime; there's enough ham in the scripts they ask me to read these days to re-spawn a Tuskgor"

**Khan:** "You are the villain; accept your place"

**Konrad:** "Says who? Everything I have ever done was for the greater good of mankind! I'm the Leto II of this universe! My Golden Path is right there and no one's walking it because I laid the bricks! What did dad ever do? Spend centuries building a blind, naive empire based on ignorance and arrogant belief they understand all the universe has to offer? Well it's not my fault the universe knocked on the door, said hello, and spilt the coffee when it was offered"

**Khan:** "You sided with Chaos"

**Konrad:** "It has a good pension scheme; contractual immortality"

**Khan:** "We are Primarchs; we are immortal"

**Konrad:** "Not according to Codex Imperialis, and the subsequent fluff never really contradicted that"

**Khan:** "You make good point ... so I should be dead?"

**Konrad:** "We can retcon that. This is fan fiction after all"

**Khan:** "Why do you collect assassins?"

**Konrad:** "Well after dad sent so many to kill me I thought I might make good use out of them. No sense wasting good assassins"

**Khan:** "Obtained a Vanus?"

**Konrad:** "Not yet ... one day ... one day ..."

**Flight Servitor:** "My lord ... we are approaching the co-ordinates given to us by the Kerrigan being"

**Konrad:** "Excellent ... here we are!"

**Khan:** "The key appears to be inside a volcano ..."

**Konrad:** "Damn ... where's Vulkan when you need him?"

**Vulkan:** "My salamander-senses are tingling ... I sense I am needed elsewhere ..."

_Alpharious turns around in the open-topped troop transport skimmer (to be featured in Imperial Armour 14) they are in, speeding towards the unknown Tau outpost. _

**Alpharious:** "We need you here, and we need you to remember you're not a Primarch, you're a Crisis suit"

**Vulkan:** "It's also tight in here"

**Alpharious: **"We can't hollow the mecha out anymore without destroying half of it. Grin and bear it"

**Roboute:** "Hey, I look good in this. Think they'll let us keep it?"

**Alpharious:** "We can ensure they have no choice in that matter"

**Roboute:** "Cool"_ He turns around in his seat to regard the squads of 'Stealthsuits' behind him_. "Hey brutha's - how you all holding up back there?"

_The Ultramarines and Salamanders who have disguised themselves as Stealthsuits cheer in unison._

**Vulkan:** "Remember - ta'lissera! For the Greater Good!"

_A weak cheer is heard from the Space Marines._

**Alpharious:** "Come on! Say it like you mean it! Like we discussed after watching my 'Get Over Your Arrogance And Infiltrate Like an Alpha Legionnaire' DVD - FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"

**Space Marines:** "FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"

**Alpharious:** "Music to my ears ... B'ob, how far until the citadel?"

**B'ob:** "About another ten minutes"

**Alpharious:** "Excellent - remember guys; we get in, we get out. No mucking about here, we grab the Key and we escape as fast as possible. We're Space Marines, lets start acting like a rapid strike force for once and not an invading army. That's the Imperial Guard's job, if you remember"

**Random Space Marine: **"Is that why we've got no Land Speeders?"

**Alpharious:** "Indeed. And Terminators. I apologise for the lack of Assault Cannons here, but we're on a budget. Henry, keep that Lascannon safe. It's our only heavy weapon aside from Vulkan's Meltagun"

**Vulkan:** "You can pry this baby from my cold, dead fingers"

**Alpharious: **"Lets hope it never comes to that. Everyone ready?"

**Space Marines:** "YEAH!"

**Roboute: **"What are we?"

**Space Marines: **"SPACE MARINES!"

**Vulkan:** "What are we made of?"

**Space Marines:** "PLASTIC! ... mostly"

**Roboute:** "Who loves us?"

**Space Marines: **"GAMES WORKSHOP!"

**Vulkan:** "Who are the cheesiest?"

**Space Marines:** "SPACE MARINES WITH ASSAULT CANNONS!!"

**Vulkan:** "Damn straight ..."

**Alpharious:** "OK guys, enough with the testosterone - the citadel's ahead"

_In the distance a vast building looms up over the surrounding desert._

**Alpharious: **"That doesn't look Tau ..."

**B'ob:** "It's not. We claimed it from its previous owners. Well ... I say 'claimed'. We sort of moved in due to no one owning the place anymore. For millennia, by the looks of things ..."

**Roboute: **"Man ... er ... doesn't that look a little like ...?"

**Alpharious:** "Necrontyr architecture? Why yes ... it does. Henry, keep hold of that Lascannon, and pray that when the crap hits the fan, the Necrons aren't RAW-anal about their WBB saves ..."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Chapter Twenty-three**_

**Alpharious: **"Who let Rob near the title?"

**Roboute:** "This story needed more **bling** ... and skulls ..."

**Alpharious: **"Skulls?"

**Roboute:** "This is 40K man! You can never have enough skulls! Skulls with bling! Bling skulls!"

**Alpharious:** "Can I kill him? Seriously ... will anyone actually miss him? Who the hell plays Ultramarines these days except Graham McNeil? Lets face it; they're boring, bland, and have possibly **the** second greatest assault on the eyes as a colour scheme in this hobby. No one plays Ultramarines"

**Roboute:** "Just like no one plays Alpha Legion?"

**Alpharious:** "Oh but they do ..._**we're just really good at disguising ourselves!**_ Which leads us to ..."

**Thought for the Day:** There's a 99% chance that any army you're playing against is an Alpha Legion army in disguise. There's an equal chance that your army is one too.

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_We shall first start this chapter by joining Sanguinius and Fulgrim ..._

**Sanguinius: **"So babe ... how long have you been working here?"

_The Daemonette playfully strokes his wings as she answers._

**Feather-Obsessed Daemonette:** "Oh, a long time now. You lose track when you're an immortal being forged from the psychic ripples created by extreme emotional output of Warp-sensitive beings"

**Sanguinius: **"Philosophical too ... I like that in a woman"

**Feather-Obsessed Daemonette:** "I like your wings ..."

**Sanguinius: **"I've noticed; you've been trying to pluck them all evening ... now enough idle banter ... baby ... you know what I want ... what I **need**" _He leans closer to her._ "Are you ready?"

**Feather-Obsessed Daemonette:** "I was summoned ready ..." _She leans back seductively ... then pulls out a camera (don't ask from where)._ "OK, first shoot - take a pose!"

**Sanguinius: **_Adopting various poses as the Daemonette takes pictures of him._ "How about this? Or this? Perhaps this? Does it make me look intellectual? Too much flesh? Tell me when there's too much; I have a respectable image to maintain, but I want to treat my female fanbase ... oh the difficulties! We might need several shoots, and can we have some more lighting in here?"

_In another corner of the appropriately named Palace of Narcissim_.

**Scales-Obsessed Daemonette:** "Your friend seems like he's having fun ..."

**Fulgrim:** "A photo shoot! Oh how delightful! Dear; could you rub more oil into the tail? The scales are getting a little sore ..."

**Scales-Obsessed Daemonette:** "Of course ..."

_Suddenly several figures burst into the room._

**Scales-Obsessed Daemonette:** "Ev'rii?"

**Lithe Daemonette (Ev'rii): **"Ka'ndii! I need your help!"

**Fulgrim: **"Mortarion! What brings you here! With a camel!"

**Llama: **"I'm a Llama, thank you"

**Fulgrim:** "Whatever"

**Mortarion:** "Fulgrim! Apparently emo's are banned on this planet under pain of death by S Club 7 songs!"

**Fulgrim:** "Ouch ... how painful for you. Do tell me how that goes ..."

**Llama:** "I hear you're seeking the Key of Desire?"

**Sanguinius:** "What if we are?"

**Llama: **"I know where it may be, but you won't find it here. Do you desire the Key, pun intended, if so come with me ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Us? Primarchs? Follow a camel?"

**Llama:** "Lla- you know it doesn't matter. Yes ... camel"

**Fulgrim: **"Find this key ... or stay here in the company of these lovely women ... Daemon ... things ... whatever ... well I know what I'll be choosing!"

**Sanguinius:** "You're right Fulgrim! As Primarchs we look best saving the world! To the Desire Key!"

**Fulgrim: **"Actually I was hoping to stay here ..."

_A loud crash heralds parts of the wall collapsing to make way for a gargantuan Keeper of Secrets._

**Keeper of Secrets:** "MORTARION!! I SEE YOU NOW!!"

**Mortarion:** "Oh guys, this is Ha'lee. She's been tasked to follow me and beat me to death with the joys of late-1990s pop music"

**Keeper of Secrets: **"Prepare to suffer ... S CLUB JUNIORS!!"

**Fulgrim: **"Crap! Sanguinius!"

**Sanguinius:** "What? Why me?"

**Fulgrim:** "The Visions series had you pictured with a Keeper of Secret's head so you must have had more experience than me at this!"

**Sanguinius:** "That was a photo shoot! It was staged! Someone pushed the damn head into my hands and took my picture! What am I supposed to do?"

**Fulgrim: **"You took out Bloodthirsters in single combat! This can't be that hard!"

**Sanguinius:** "I took out a Blood**letter**! Not my fault those bloody remembrancers can't remember anything properly!"

**Mortarion:** "Guys, stop arguing and **kill it!**"

**Sanguinius:** "Very well ... entering Battle Mode!"

Sanguinius - Attack - Keeper of Secrets  
Sanguinius hits Keeper of Secrets for 9,999 damage!  
Sanguinius's Awesome Holy Aura deals Keeper of Secrets an extra 9,999 damage!  
Sanguinius's Lightning Assault Attack deals Keeper of Secrets an extra 9,999 damage!  
Sanguinius's Sheer Badassery deals Keeper of Secrets an extra 9,999 damage!

**Fulgrim: **"She's still alive?!? Right, my turn!"

Fulgrim - Attack - Keeper of Secrets  
Fulgrim hits Keeper of Secrets for 9,999 damage!  
Fulgrim hits Keeper of Secrets for 9,999 damage!  
Fulgrim hits Keeper of Secrets for 9,999 damage!  
Fulgrim hits Keeper of Secrets for 9,999 damage!  
Fulgrim uses I Hit With All My Hands to deal an extra 9,999 damage to Keeper of Secrets!  
Fulgrim pokes Keeper of Secrets in the face with his tail and deals an extra 9,999 damage and inflicts Poison!

**Mortarion: **"She's still standing!!"

**Sanguinius:** "Go for it Mort!"

Mortarion - Attack - Keeper of Secrets  
Mortarion hits Keeper of Secrets for 9,999 damage!

**Fulgrim: **"... that it?"

**Mortarion:** "Wait for it ..."

Keeper of Secrets suffers Plague from Mortarion's wound!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers 99,999 damage!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers Immobilised!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers Silence!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers Blind!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers Confused!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers GW Price Increased!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers Bad Plastic Makeover!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers Salt Rubed Into Wound!  
Keeper of Secrets suffers Kicking When Down!

**Fulgrim: **"Holy shi- remind me not to piss Mortarion off again ..."

**Mortarion:** "What? It's still **alive?!?!** What do we have to do to kill this thing?"

Keeper of Secrets casts Broken Square-Enix Ability!  
Keeper of Secrets heals all damage and negative status effects!

**Sanguinius: **"Oh ... well ... feth that ... **RUN!!**"

_Our heroes bolt for the door, followed by the Llama and the Daemonettes._

**Ka'ndii:** "Why are we running?"

**Ev'rii:** "I don't know about you, but I'd rather stick with the main characters than be killed off-page!"

_Meanwhile ..._

**Garlock:** "So ere's the main ba'el arena wit kool shyni stuff that 'urts ya when you poke gits wit it. Need anythink else?"

**Dorn:** "A translation guide for Ork-speak?"

**Perturabo:** "We're fine thanks, when will the fight commence?"

**Garlock: **"Sumtim thi afternoon tho tha depends on tha little gits who'r suppos'd to clean up da dam place. I tell ya - yu can't git tha help ya need these dayz"

**Dorn:** "Er ... yeah. Cheers. Shall we just make ourselves at home until the arena is ready?"

**Garlock:** "Yer ... you can do that. No fighin outside tha arena mind!"

**Dorn: **"Wouldn't dream of it ..."

_They watch Garlock wonder off, muttering to himself._

**Dorn:** "What an odd fungus ..."

**Corax:** "So what now?"

**Dorn: **"Now we split up and search for the Hope Key ... it has to be around here somewhere and I'll be damned if I'll wait until after I beat the crap out of that crazy fungus before I lay my hands on it"

**Corax:** "The bet?"

**Dorn: **"The bet. I'll be damned if I lose to any of the others. We'll be the first to get our key! Right brothers?"

**Perturabo:** "Indeed - to Team A!"

**Corax:** "Dude that's lame ... Team Rocket!"

**Dorn:** "I don't think so ... Team Iron!"

**Perturabo:** "As in 'Iron Cage'?"

**Dorn: **"Yup"

**Perturabo: **"He he ... fun times ... to Team Iron!"

_They place there hands together at the centre of a circle they stand in._

**Corax:** "Go Team Iron!"

**Perturabo:** "Right, split up and find out clues. Meet back here in an hour! Remember; keep talking to an NPC in case they have something different to say the second time!"

**Dorn:** "Pity Magnus isn't here. He'll get everything we need in one simple Gather Info roll"

_Speaking of which ..._

**Magnus:** "I use Knowledge (Arcana) on the runes!"

**Russ:** "Knowledge (Pansy Gay Arts) more like ..."

**Ferrus: **"Ignoring Russ, what did you get?"

**Magnus: **"A 46!!"

**Ferrus:** "And the thing we've learned today is ...?"

**Magnus:** "It's ancient Eldar writings!"

_They stand and stare at the wall with its foot-high lettering._

**Ferrus:** "We noticed ..."

**Fred:** "What does it **say?**"

**Magnus:** "'Look behind you'"

**Ferrus:** "What? Don't be silly ..."

**Magnus:** "I'm not, that's what they seriously say"

**Ferrus:** "Why would an Eldar write in foot-high letters 'look behind you'? They don't have a sense of humour! It's not as if they knew we ... were ... coming ... Eldar have Farseers don't they?"

**Magnus:** "Yes ... they do"

**Ferrus:** "And Farseers see into the future right?"

**Magnus:** "Yes ... they do"

_They all look at each other, then slowly turn around ..._

**Nightbringer:** "Good evening"


	24. Chapter 24

_**Chapter Twenty-four**_

**Thought for the Day: **If at first you don't succeed ... call in the Space Marines. The fact you were trying in the first place without proper Astartes support (i.e. they do all the work) is testament to your stupidity, and your first step on the road of learning is to purchase more Space Marines!

**Lorgar: **"When did we start advertising for GW here?"

**Perturabo:** "We did a little for Apocalypse a couple of chapters ago ..."

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Bah. More Space Marine advertisements! As if we need more Space Marine players ..."

**Dorn:** "Well who else will you get to aim all those Starcannons at?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "A good point ... more Space Marine players! It makes the rest of us look better ..."

_In the slightly unpleasant dim far future there is only Space Marines ... and things Space Marines shoot at. _

**Roboute:** "Enough already! Get on with it!"

**Dorn:** "Well, I believe there's something everyone here agrees with. While non-Space Marine players may mock those who do play Space Marines, everyone, including Space Marine players, mock anyone who fields Ultramarines"

**Roboute:** "Hey!"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Thus is the gospel according to Priestly ... praise be to Priestly and His Divine Will"

**Eldar: **"Amen ..."

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "And curse be to the Arch-fiend Thorpe, and the dairy products he does bring as offerings ..."

**Eldar:** "Amen ..."

**Dorn:** "And prayer be us finally starting this chapter?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Dude, this is just fluff"

_A kitten dies._

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "The Arch-fiend strikes again!!"

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

**Dorn:** "Finally ... now what?"

_You bugger off. You're not in today's chapter. _

_**Dorn:**__ "But I'm Rogal Dorn!!"_

_And your Chapter's colour scheme is bright yellow. Which makes it far easier for this Apocalypse-sized Dark Reaper army to see you._

**Dorn:** "What? WAIT!!!!"

explosions and death

_We now re-join our heroes aboard the Eldar Craftworld of Al'cir, where they have been confronted by the __**LORD OF DEATH**__, __**THE REAPER OF SOULS**__, or __**HEY LOOK! I SCARE PEOPLE SO MUCH THEIR DNA IS AFRAID OF ME!!**__ depending on who you ask ..._

[Author's Note: In case you're wondering why the Nightbringer doesn't have his dialogue in different colours like Slaanesh, Nurgle, Khorne, Tzeentch, the Deceiver, and the Emperor, it's mainly because his would be black. As the forum's background is also black, this would require you to highlight what he says each time you read his dialogue, and I'm not that cruel]

**Russ:** "Everyone stand still ... he can't see us if we don't move ..."

**Magnus:** "That's a T-Rex Russ"

**Russ:** "Are you sure?"

**Magnus:** "I'm fairly sure"

**Ferrus:** "I suggest people that we run away as fast as possible in the complete opposite direction to the big scary reaper dude"

**Russ:** "Run? We're **PRIMARCHS!!**"

**Ferrus:** "Have you **seen** the stats on that thing? It makes 2nd Ed Greater Daemons look like Snotlings! Seriously, were the design team smoking their old codices when they wrote the 4th ed Necron Codex?"

**Magnus:** "If so, I'd like to have some ..."

**Nightbringer:** "If we all quite finished discussing amongst ourselves, perhaps we could approach the next stage of this engagement?"

**Russ:** "Fight?"

**Ferrus:** "Running away?"

**Fred:** "Obtaining clean underwear to replace the old ones now somewhat more unpleasant in nature?"

_Everyone stares at her, and slowly edges away._

**Fred:** "It's alright for you genetically mutated freaks!"

**Ferrus:** "Says the woman who replaces bits of her with toasters **because her PC told her to**"

**Derek:** "DO NOT SPEAK OF THE OMNISSIAH IN SUCH NOOBISH TONGUE!"

**Ferrus:** "Derek ... what are you doing?"

_Derek walks towards the Nightbringer, and stands beneath the __**AWESOME POWER OF THE C'TAN!**_

**Derek:** "Fixing a mistake made many years ago when Mars agreed to aid the Corpse-God and his pathetic excuse for an Imperium!"

**Magnus:** "It wasn't **that** bad! Admittedly the extreme right-wing attitude to science and atheism did kind of suck come Christmas, but we still got away with a little festive cheer!"

**Derek:** "Christmas doesn't concern me, and soon it will die. All Human emotions will die, for it feeds the Warp! Hope, anger, desire, and despair - all with perish and be replaced by uncomprimising order!"

**Ferrus:** "What? That's boring! What am I going to do when I play _Halo 3?_ Where's the fun when you don't feel good about pulling off a headshot on the back of a moving vehicle?"

**Derek:** "Computer games will also be banned, for they encourage violence amongst our children"

**Ferrus:** "Oh now that's just being **stupid**!"

**Derek:** "All sports will be banned, music wil no longer exist, _**and table-top gaming will be exitinct**_!"

_Collective gasps of horror from all assembled._

**Ferrus:** "NEVER! I may not obsess about the hobby like Perturabo may do, but I recognise my existence as a character within the background for a table-top gaming system! Despite that previous sentence breaking so much of the fourth wall I'm surprised there's anything less, I will not allow you to destroy that hobby!"

**Derek:** "You're too late. Even as we speak the Deceiver is searching the Webway for the Black Library ... and the ULTIMATE WEAPON!"

**Magnus:** "What is this weapon?"

**Derek:** "The greatest power in the known universe! A force that can re-write thousands of years of history, alter events, change entire civilisations and turn personalities against their former image"

**Ferrus:** "What diabolical evil do you speak of?"

**Derek:** "The hard drive of Alan Merrett! With its awesome power, we can susbtantially alter the entire 40K universe and Merrett will think it's been his idea all along! He'll order the production of new books, and update all fluff-"

_A kitten dies._

**Derek:** "-to reflect our new ideals! It'll be a glorious age! A new age! Introducing, ladies and gentlemen:"

**WARHAMMER 40,000: THE GATHERING**

**Magnus:** "Oh my Gods! **YOU WORK FOR HASBRO!**"

**Nightbringer:** "They promise us endless power, for a small number of revisions geared to maximise profits by appealing to children between 6-12"

**Ferrus:** "You would turn this hobby into a mere extension of Wizards of the Coast?"

**Nightbringer:** "Why not? We'll make things easier by assigning you all Alignments - you'lll be Neutral Evil, I'll be Chaotic Evil-"

**Russ:** "And I'll be KICKING YOUR ASS!"

**Nightbringer:** "I don't believe that's an Alignment on the chart ..."

**Russ:** "Don't care!"

**Ferrus:** "Russ! What are you doing! You don't stand a chance against the C'tan!"

**Russ:** "Maybe not by myself, but in case you missed it Magnus there's been giving me the silent hand signals since darky here turned up!"

**Magnus:** "I've been telling him the rest of the message I translated. In it's entirety, it states: 'Hi Primarchs, Look Behind You. In Case You Need A Hand, I've Left My Sword For You Behind The Wall - Vaul'"

_Russ smashes into the wall with a single fist, and draws a great sword of fearsome beauty. _

**Russ:** "I don't usually like these fancy xenos weapons, but this thing's bloody awesome! I can feel the stat boosts flowing through me!"

**Fred:** "Is that ...?"

**Magnus:** "It is ... it's Anaris - THE DAWNLIGHT!"

_Dramatic music._

**Nightbringer: **"So you have a fancy sword ... so what?"

**Magnus:** "We'll see - CASTING MULTIPLE BUFF SPELLS ON RUSS!"

**Russ:** buffed "ARRRGH!"

_Russ dives forward and lands a mighty blow on the Nightbringer. The resultant shockwave of energy vapourises Derek and destroys half the tower. _

Leman Russ hits the Nightbringer for UNGODLY damage!

**Russ:** "NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

**Ferrus: **"There isn't any chance Vaul left a few more swords behind there for us?"


	25. Chapter 25

_**Chapter Twenty-five**_

**Thought for the Day:** Eat more fruit.

What? Were you expecting something more?

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

As our heroes wrestle with the Nightbringer, a battle-hungry Warboss, escape from a seemingly indescrutable Keeper of Secrets, hunt for the Biomancer Fabius Bile, speed into a Necron Fortress-turned Tau outpost, and journey deep into the heart of a volcano, their father, the _**GOD EMPEROR OF MANKIND!**__ has reached Ancient Terra, seeking to free the cradle of mankind from the grip of C'tan tyranny!_

**Eldrad:** "And what was the Imperium of man?"

**Malcador:** "**Human** tyranny, an entirely different kind of oppression"

**Eldrad:** "What's so different about it?"

**Malcador:** "It's Humans killing themselves, which is perfectly fine"

**Eldrad:** "That's something we both agree on"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Silence! Both of you! We approach the orbit of Terra!"

**Eldrad:** "I guess it's just past the orbits of Mild Fright, Scary, and Hide-Behind-The-Sofa right?"

_Silence._

**Eldrad:** "That was humour people, please don't let it ambush you when you eventually get around to evolving"

**Malcador:** "And what have you Eldar been doing for the last sixty-odd million years?"

**Eldrad:** "Gestating Slaanesh. What have you guys been doing? Oh ... don't answer. Repeatedly screwing yourselves over by creating perfect, _Star Trek_-esque empires then destroying then either with rogue robots or your own damn genetically engineered soldiers"

**Malcador:** "The Iron Men you've got a point with, but the Space Marines are not our fault ..."

**Tzeentch:** "What? You talking about us?"

**Malcador:** "Well if the shoe fits ..."

**Slaanesh:** "I don't wear shoes darling"

**Malcador:** "It's a freaking metaphor! Seriously ... for giant gestalt warp entities created by the psychic residue of strong emotions from sentient beings you are **fething retarded!**"

**Tzeentch:** "And you're what? A certified genius, Mr-Let-Me-Try-Out-The-Giant-Soul-Sucking-Webway-Machine?"

**Malcador:** "The good of Humanity depended on me maintaining the gate! Your forces would have breached the palace if I hadn't!"

**Tzeentch:** "And ... I don't know, **switching it off wouldn't have worked better?**"

_Silence._

**Malcador:** "If I weren't for the fact I don't exist outside it ... I would **fething hate this new fluff**"

_Slaanesh breaks a kitten in half._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "What the hell was that for?"

**Slaanesh:** "Contract with Gav"

**Malcador:** "... fluff?"

_Another kitten dies._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Jesus woman, stop it!"

**Malcador:** "You like kittens my lord?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I love them. So cute and fluffy ..."

_Slaanesh eats a third kitten._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"No one said 'fluff'!!"

**Slaanesh:** "Yes you did. 'Fluffy' is merely a descriptive use of 'fluff' ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Oh that's just being awkward. I did not say **'fluff'**!"

_A fourth kitten spontaneously combusts._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "For the God's sake stop it!"

**Tzeentch:** "For our sake? But we're enjoying it"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Pick on the fething crickets!"

**Torgaddon:** "You leave them out of this! Not when I've almost got them working together to write the next _Horus Heresy_ book!"

**Abaddon:** "Well ... can't be worse than _Descent of Angels_ ..."

**Ahriman:** "If the not-really-subtle attacks on the Black Library are this bad now? What happens when they finally release a book on the Thousand Sons?"

_Lets not go there. Lets just not go there. Lets just say it better be made of __**WIN**__ and __**AWESOME**__ or this series will see an Author Breakdown on the scale that'll make _Cerebus the Aardvark _look like a mild divergeance in theme ..._

We're talking End of _Freaking_ Evangelion_ here ..._

Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ season six ..._

**Ahriman:** "We get the picture. So in the interest of everyone here at _Primarchs_, myself included, we pass this simple message out to the guys at the Black Library and the awesome team of authors there ... please make the eventual token book on the Thousand Sons awesome ... please ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"What do I care? I never learned to read ..."

**Malcador:** "We noticed my lord ... otherwise you might have noticed the Heresy coming considering it rips of the plot of so many fiction it's not even funny ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "You insulting me Malcador?"

**Malcador:** "Well ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Who's name's in capitals?"

**Malcador:** "Er ... yours?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "DAMN STRAIGHT! WHO'S THE EMPEROR? YOU? HELL NO! ME! I'M THE GOD-FREAKING-EMPEROR OF MANKIND! THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE BROKEN-HERO-OF-AWESOMENESS THAT CAN **DO NO WRONG!** GW LOVE ME! THERE IS NOTHING I CAN'T DO! I CAN BACKWARDS ENGINEER ANCIENT ELDAR TECHNOLOGY AND MAKE MY OWN WEBWAY! I HAVE MORE PSYCHIC ENERGY IN MY LITTLE TOE THAN ALPHA LEVEL PSYKERS HAVE IN THEIR ENTIRE BODY! I'M TALLER THAN A PRIMARCH, and stronger to boot. And more attractive. And better at maths. I'M THE GOD-EMPEROR! BOW DOWN AND HOLD ME IN EVERLASTING GEEK PRAISE!"

**Malcador:** "I heard you're actually an old man making that image as an illusion ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"What? Oh ... damn Abnett ... well ... perhaps. Or perhaps I'm just Super-Damn-Awesome"

**Malcador:** "Well if you're so super and awesome ... how comes an Ork Warboss strangled you?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Erm ..."

_I'd like to point out how absurd this all is, and a great way to highlight how much the 40K fluff contradicts itself. This is what happens when you let fanboys write the new fluff ..._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "He rolled lucky ... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!"

**Malcador:** "Yes ... Tracy"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Oh you just asked for it!"

_The Emperor unleashes __**PSYCHIC MEGADEATH!**_****

EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: "What? Nothing happened? Oh who counterspelled?"

**Tzeentch:** "No throwing bolts of warp energy in my presence. In case you forgot who's the masters of the warp ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"But I'm the EMPEROR!"

**Slaanesh:** "Yes dear, but all psychic energy manifests from the warp ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"But Sisters of Battle!"

**Nurgle:** "Seriously, did you think that was anything **but** warp-spawned magicks?"

**Tzeentch:** "Positive warp energy, read your _Realms of Chaos_. It's like hitting the matter of this universe with anti-matter"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I'm confused ..."

**Tzeentch:** "And you wonder why I'm no longer the God of Hope, Nurgle's lost his Despair, Slaanesh is all about sex, and Khorne just likes hitting things ..."

**Khorne:** "I **still** have a sense of honour! When I remember to bring it ..."

**Tzeentch:** "Stop losing it down the side of the sofa, and we should be fine"

**Malcador:** "When we're all finished pointing out how much todays fluff-"_ Another kitten dies_. "-has been dumbed down, can we concentrate on the matters at hand? Like the destruction of the Necron presence on Terra?"

**Abaddon:** "A better question to ask would be how they got there?"

**VOID DRAGON!:** "I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION!"

**Abaddon:** "Torgaddon?"

**Torgaddon:** "Dude ... cut me some slack here ... it's a fething **C'tan!**"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "What? Why is his name in capitals too?"

_Because he's made of __**AWESOME**__ and __**WIN**__._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "And I'm not?"

_Not when you started playing about with Eldar technology and being practically without a single flaw ... save not noticing half your sons had issues ... seriously dude ... therapy ... it helps ..._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Seriously ... try some yourself. Maybe then you might get over your nerdish dislike of the new Heresy stuff and ... I don't know ... **get a life?**"

_Ouch. Harsh._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "You had it coming ... so ... Dragon. You woke up? That explains how a huge Necron force appeared so close to Terra without the legions of defences noticing ... also means I need to have words with the Fabricator General of Mars ..."

**VOID DRAGON!: **"No need, he is here" _He holds up a head, and lets it fall to the ground._ "I needed him no more, now I am awake ... and man do I feel good! I feel like conquering the universe!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"That's my job!"

**VOID DRAGON!:** "Really? We'll see ... bring it on!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "GET OUT OF MY UNIVERSE!"

**Malcador:** "Everyone retreat to the minimum safe distance!"

**Abaddon:** "Which is?"

**Malcador:** "An alternative universe will do quite nicely ..."

_As our epic Gods of __**AWESOME**__**WIN**__ clash who will be the victor? Find out in the next chapters of ... well you probably know the name of the show by now._

_**Christmas's Interlude**_

**Thought for the Day:** Eat more fruit.

What? Were you expecting something more?

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

As our heroes wrestle with the Nightbringer, a battle-hungry Warboss, escape from a seemingly indescrutable Keeper of Secrets, hunt for the Biomancer Fabius Bile, speed into a Necron Fortress-turned Tau outpost, and journey deep into the heart of a volcano, their father, the _**GOD EMPEROR OF MANKIND!**__ has reached Ancient Terra, seeking to free the cradle of mankind from the grip of C'tan tyranny!_

**Eldrad:** "And what was the Imperium of man?"

**Malcador:** "**Human** tyranny, an entirely different kind of oppression"

**Eldrad:** "What's so different about it?"

**Malcador:** "It's Humans killing themselves, which is perfectly fine"

**Eldrad:** "That's something we both agree on"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Silence! Both of you! We approach the orbit of Terra!"

**Eldrad:** "I guess it's just past the orbits of Mild Fright, Scary, and Hide-Behind-The-Sofa right?"

_Silence._

**Eldrad:** "That was humour people, please don't let it ambush you when you eventually get around to evolving"

**Malcador:** "And what have you Eldar been doing for the last sixty-odd million years?"

**Eldrad:** "Gestating Slaanesh. What have you guys been doing? Oh ... don't answer. Repeatedly screwing yourselves over by creating perfect, _Star Trek_-esque empires then destroying then either with rogue robots or your own damn genetically engineered soldiers"

**Malcador:** "The Iron Men you've got a point with, but the Space Marines are not our fault ..."

**Tzeentch:** "What? You talking about us?"

**Malcador:** "Well if the shoe fits ..."

**Slaanesh:** "I don't wear shoes darling"

**Malcador:** "It's a freaking metaphor! Seriously ... for giant gestalt warp entities created by the psychic residue of strong emotions from sentient beings you are **fething retarded!**"

**Tzeentch:** "And you're what? A certified genius, Mr-Let-Me-Try-Out-The-Giant-Soul-Sucking-Webway-Machine?"

**Malcador:** "The good of Humanity depended on me maintaining the gate! Your forces would have breached the palace if I hadn't!"

**Tzeentch:** "And ... I don't know, **switching it off wouldn't have worked better?**"

_Silence._

**Malcador:** "If I weren't for the fact I don't exist outside it ... I would **fething hate this new fluff**"

_Slaanesh breaks a kitten in half._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "What the hell was that for?"

**Slaanesh:** "Contract with Gav"

**Malcador:** "... fluff?"

_Another kitten dies._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Jesus woman, stop it!"

**Malcador:** "You like kittens my lord?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I love them. So cute and fluffy ..."

_Slaanesh eats a third kitten._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"No one said 'fluff'!!"

**Slaanesh:** "Yes you did. 'Fluffy' is merely a descriptive use of 'fluff' ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Oh that's just being awkward. I did not say **'fluff'**!"

_A fourth kitten spontaneously combusts._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "For the God's sake stop it!"

**Tzeentch:** "For our sake? But we're enjoying it"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Pick on the fething crickets!"

**Torgaddon:** "You leave them out of this! Not when I've almost got them working together to write the next _Horus Heresy_ book!"

**Abaddon:** "Well ... can't be worse than _Descent of Angels_ ..."

**Ahriman:** "If the not-really-subtle attacks on the Black Library are this bad now? What happens when they finally release a book on the Thousand Sons?"

_Lets not go there. Lets just not go there. Lets just say it better be made of __**WIN**__ and __**AWESOME**__ or this series will see an Author Breakdown on the scale that'll make _Cerebus the Aardvark _look like a mild divergeance in theme ..._

We're talking End of _Freaking_ Evangelion_ here ..._

Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ season six ..._

**Ahriman:** "We get the picture. So in the interest of everyone here at _Primarchs_, myself included, we pass this simple message out to the guys at the Black Library and the awesome team of authors there ... please make the eventual token book on the Thousand Sons awesome ... please ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"What do I care? I never learned to read ..."

**Malcador:** "We noticed my lord ... otherwise you might have noticed the Heresy coming considering it rips of the plot of so many fiction it's not even funny ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "You insulting me Malcador?"

**Malcador:** "Well ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Who's name's in capitals?"

**Malcador:** "Er ... yours?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "DAMN STRAIGHT! WHO'S THE EMPEROR? YOU? HELL NO! ME! I'M THE GOD-FREAKING-EMPEROR OF MANKIND! THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE BROKEN-HERO-OF-AWESOMENESS THAT CAN **DO NO WRONG!** GW LOVE ME! THERE IS NOTHING I CAN'T DO! I CAN BACKWARDS ENGINEER ANCIENT ELDAR TECHNOLOGY AND MAKE MY OWN WEBWAY! I HAVE MORE PSYCHIC ENERGY IN MY LITTLE TOE THAN ALPHA LEVEL PSYKERS HAVE IN THEIR ENTIRE BODY! I'M TALLER THAN A PRIMARCH, and stronger to boot. And more attractive. And better at maths. I'M THE GOD-EMPEROR! BOW DOWN AND HOLD ME IN EVERLASTING GEEK PRAISE!"

**Malcador:** "I heard you're actually an old man making that image as an illusion ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"What? Oh ... damn Abnett ... well ... perhaps. Or perhaps I'm just Super-Damn-Awesome"

**Malcador:** "Well if you're so super and awesome ... how comes an Ork Warboss strangled you?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Erm ..."

_I'd like to point out how absurd this all is, and a great way to highlight how much the 40K fluff contradicts itself. This is what happens when you let fanboys write the new fluff ..._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "He rolled lucky ... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!"

**Malcador:** "Yes ... Tracy"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Oh you just asked for it!"

_The Emperor unleashes __**PSYCHIC MEGADEATH!**_****

EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: "What? Nothing happened? Oh who counterspelled?"

**Tzeentch:** "No throwing bolts of warp energy in my presence. In case you forgot who's the masters of the warp ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"But I'm the EMPEROR!"

**Slaanesh:** "Yes dear, but all psychic energy manifests from the warp ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"But Sisters of Battle!"

**Nurgle:** "Seriously, did you think that was anything **but** warp-spawned magicks?"

**Tzeentch:** "Positive warp energy, read your _Realms of Chaos_. It's like hitting the matter of this universe with anti-matter"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I'm confused ..."

**Tzeentch:** "And you wonder why I'm no longer the God of Hope, Nurgle's lost his Despair, Slaanesh is all about sex, and Khorne just likes hitting things ..."

**Khorne:** "I **still** have a sense of honour! When I remember to bring it ..."

**Tzeentch:** "Stop losing it down the side of the sofa, and we should be fine"

**Malcador:** "When we're all finished pointing out how much todays fluff-"_ Another kitten dies_. "-has been dumbed down, can we concentrate on the matters at hand? Like the destruction of the Necron presence on Terra?"

**Abaddon:** "A better question to ask would be how they got there?"

**VOID DRAGON!:** "I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION!"

**Abaddon:** "Torgaddon?"

**Torgaddon:** "Dude ... cut me some slack here ... it's a fething **C'tan!**"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "What? Why is his name in capitals too?"

_Because he's made of __**AWESOME**__ and __**WIN**__._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "And I'm not?"

_Not when you started playing about with Eldar technology and being practically without a single flaw ... save not noticing half your sons had issues ... seriously dude ... therapy ... it helps ..._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Seriously ... try some yourself. Maybe then you might get over your nerdish dislike of the new Heresy stuff and ... I don't know ... **get a life?**"

_Ouch. Harsh._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "You had it coming ... so ... Dragon. You woke up? That explains how a huge Necron force appeared so close to Terra without the legions of defences noticing ... also means I need to have words with the Fabricator General of Mars ..."

**VOID DRAGON!: **"No need, he is here" _He holds up a head, and lets it fall to the ground._ "I needed him no more, now I am awake ... and man do I feel good! I feel like conquering the universe!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"That's my job!"

**VOID DRAGON!:** "Really? We'll see ... bring it on!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "GET OUT OF MY UNIVERSE!"

**Malcador:** "Everyone retreat to the minimum safe distance!"

**Abaddon:** "Which is?"

**Malcador:** "An alternative universe will do quite nicely ..."

_As our epic Gods of __**AWESOME**__**WIN**__ clash who will be the victor? Find out in the next chapters of ... well you probably know the name of the show by now._


	26. Chapter 26

_**Chapter Twenty-six**_

"_It's at times like this I'm grateful I saved my game before the level started"__** - Eldrad Ulthran, at the end of the 13th Black Crusade**_

_For those of you with short memory spans or just join us (in which case there's, like, twenty-five chapters worth of back story – go read!), here's a short summary of the Story So Far, as told by our stars._

**Lorgar:** "Who ... us?"

**Vulkan:** "Yeah he means us. Now narrate like you've got a pair!"

**Lorgar:** "Where to start? The fact that we wasted millennia binge drinking our way across the Eye of Terror? Then Horus appears and suddenly Fifth Edition has started and there's a new summer campaign to fight! Of course, turns out things aren't quite that easy ..."

**Magnus:** "Indeed. For our foes were the C'tan, and their diabolical masters Hasbro, who were using the campaign as a cover in their hostile takeover of Games Workshop"

**Horus:** "As if that weren't enough, desperate for money Games Workshop allowed renowned RPG developers Square-Enix to make a game based in the 40K universe. Unfortunately their inability to grasp basic British pessimism has resulted in a game full of cute fluffy aliens and happy Space Marines! This games is threatening to retro-actively turn the gothic nightmare of the forty-second millennium into J-pop themed hyperactive cute!"

**Lion:** "The forces of cute, heralded by those diabolical Moogle things, are rampaging through the galaxy"

**Angron:** "Also doing the same is the Zerg, who probably have some equally evil reason for being here aside from having revenge against Andy Chambers"

**Vulkan:** "While all this is going on, Rob, Alpharious and myself are undercover inside a Necron fortress-turned Tau outpost. I've read enough Black Library novels to know this won't end well for anyone ..."

**Dorn:** "Perturabo, Corax and myself are challenging an enthusiastic Ork warboss to a one-on-one fight"

**Fulgrim:** "Sanguinius, Mortarion and myself are running from the unstoppable servants of Slaanesh on a Daemon World"

**Horus:** "Lion, Lorgar, and me are searching for some Oracle of Oblivion ... and my arms ..."

**Ferrus:** "Magnus, Russ, and me are fighting the Nightbringer, which beats all the above for sheer awesome ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "And I beat all of them by taking on the Void Dragon **by myself!**"

**Abaddon:** "While the quest to recapture a Terra fallen to the C'tan is under my control. Which is somewhat amusing when you think about what I've done ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Yeah, I want the planet back when you've finished Ezzie"

**Abaddon:** "Damn ..."

**Eldrad:** "Anyway, that should serve as a rough catch-up ... what lies ahead for our heroes? PM me for spoilers"

_Don't PM him. The following is taken from the Instant Warp Messaging service (provided by Warpsoft Ltd.) hosted by Abaddon the Despoiler in the preparations for the Second Siege of Terra:_

EzzieInDaHouse has logged in. BigBadWolf has logged in.

Inferno! has logged in.

ChicksDigEmos has logged in.

PaintItBlack has logged in.

OldPwnage has logged in.

EzzieInDaHouse: OK, introductions people? For those of you too young to remember (most of you) I'm Abaddon

BigBadWolf: Noted. Logan Grimnar here.

ChicksDigEmos: Azrael.

PaintItBlack: Helbrecht

Inferno!: Dante

OldPwnage: Yarrick

EzzieInDaHouse: Yarrrick dude! U pwn!

Inferno!: hell yeah! Found gazgul?

OldPwnage: no.

ChicksDigEmos: :{

BigBadWolf: :{

PaintItBlack: :{

EzzieInDaHouse: no worries. U'll find him.

OldPwnage: :}

EzzieInDaHouse: anywyas .. terra!!!

BigBadWolf: libration1!!

PaintItBlack: dude, we need to get past the opribital defences!

ChicksDigEmos: orbital defences no problem ... we got planet killer!

EzzieInDaHouse: it'll need some careful aiming, but we can shoot ddown most of the platforms with ot

PaintItBlack: dudes! Planet killer!!

ChicksDigEmos: plaent kil;ler!!!!111

OldPwnage: pwnage!!

EzzieInDaHouse: pwnage!!

BigBadWolf: back to plan?

EzzieInDaHouse: logan need you to spearhead asasult with dante. Would love angron and russ, but they're busy.

BigBadWolf: hven't seen russ yet. Bjorn misses him.

EzzieInDaHouse: :{

PaintItBlack: :{

OldPwnage: planet killer!!!

Inferno!: planet killer!!1

EMPEROR OF MANKIND! has logged in.

EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: .com/albums/n...

EzzieInDaHouse: serious

PaintItBlack: /serious mode

OldPwnage: very serious

EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: 1 thing to say: kick ass!

OldPwnage: planet killer!!1!!

_Eldrad glances up from the hololithic console he was monitoring._

**Eldrad:** "I now know why nothing ever gets done around here ..."

**Malcador:** "Welcome to the Imperium of Man, please leave your complaint at the desk and we will get back to your descendants within the millennium"

**Eldrad:** "Think they'll make it?"

**Malcador:** "Not a chance"

_As the Great Siege of Terra Part II: The Sequel continues, our heroes continue their epic quest to obtain the Six Keys of Carl, need to pass through the Gates of Varl and meet with the Fish of Time! Seriously, how much Things of Awesome can I fit into that sentence?_

_Anyway, on the Eldar Craftworld of Despair, Doom, and Certain Painful Death, Magnus, Russ and Ferrus continue their epic battle against the Nightbringer. _

**Fred: **_Incredibly high-pitch scream. I mean seriously through-your-head-like-a-pin-vice scream._

**Ferrus:** "Russ! Attack his weak spot for massive damage!"

**Russ:** "Does he look like a giant crab?"

**Magnus:** "No, he looks like our unfortunate and messy death if you don't shut up at hit him with the million-year-old ancient Eldar poking stick!"

**Russ:** "I like this spear, did the note say we can keep it?"

**Magnus:** "No, but you can ask him when he gets back"

**Russ:** "I thought Slaanesh ate him?"

**Magnus:** "No Slaanesh **dated** him. Emperor almighty how many times do I have to correct people on this?"

**Ferrus:** "Corrections later! Killing C'tan first!"

**Russ:** "Aye laddy, calm down. I can't concentrate with you all panicky like that, and could someone stop Fred screaming?"

_Ferrus knocks Fred out with a flick of the wrist._

**Russ:** "Drastic, but it got the job done. Points to you laddy. Right, Mr. Cloak-and-shadows, shall we dance?"

**Nightbringer:**_ Brandishes scythe. "_Certainly, but I warn you, this tango is simply to **die** for!"

_Silence. Some crickets chirp._

**Ferrus:** "I suppose the humour disintegrates after the first few millennia"

**Nightbringer:** "You have no idea. Watch _Arrested Development_ enough times and even that becomes boring"

**Ferrus:** "Oh that's just heresy. Russ – kick his ass!"

**Russ:** "What do you think I've been trying to do laddy? If it wasn't for all this dialogue exchange I would have been assigning my XP five minutes ago!"

**Magnus:** "How much do we get for killing a C'tan?"

**Ferrus:** "Enough to get my juicy purple epic gear no doubt. Did Vaul leave any other weapons by chance?"

**Magnus:** "Just the Dawnlight. Unless there's any others I've missed"

**Ferrus:** "You know the background better than I do"

**Russ:** "Only because you read it in bed"

**Magnus:** "It helps me get to sleep"

**Russ:** "You have no life, it breaks me to tell you this laddy but as your brother I feel I have a responsibility to lay bear these truths which hinder your ability to attract members of the opposite sex"

**Magnus:** "Bah. Women are overrated. My level 12 night elf druid? Now **she's** a damn fine girl"

**Russ:** "She's **fictional**"

**Magnus:** "No need to hurt her feelings ..."

**Russ:** "I swear sometimes I think razing Prospero was a service to mankind ..."

**Ferrus:** "Hey. Don't insult us geeks. You end up working for us in the end"

**Magnus:** "Look at Warpsoft. William Doorway, once a geek, now a multi-trillionaire"

**Russ:** "Money's not important. The touch of a good woman-"

**Ferrus:** "Shouldn't that be plural?"

**Russ:** "Was that supposed to be an insult? Because if you suggesting I've had many female partners is supposed to be **negative** ..."

**Magnus:** "That wasn't smart Ferrus"

**Ferrus:** "Hey, if you suggest a girl sleeps around is an insult, shouldn't it work the other way?"

**Magnus:** "No Ferrus. It's called a double standard. It doesn't work both ways"

**Fred: **"I object to that!"

**Russ:** "What? You think you've slept with more women than me?"

**Fred:** "Probably"

_Ferrus and Magnus stare with mouths open_.

**Russ:** "Wow ..."

**Nightbringer:** "Erm ... guys?"

**Magnus:** "Ferrus ... is this what they call love?"

**Ferrus:** "Dude. I think she's just confirmed herself to be a lesbian ..."

**Fred:** "No, I'm bisexual"

_Mouths hang open once again._

**Ferrus:** "Magnus. This is love"

**Russ:** "Not to burst your bubbles lads ... but who's carrying the giant Eldar weapon-o-doom here?"

**Fred: **"And such a lovely compensation it is. My sympathy for your natural disability that requires such giant weapons to make you feel better about it"

**Ferrus:** "Dude ... pwned ..."

**Russ:** "Am not!"

**Magnus:** "Powned ..."

**Ferrus:** "Owned, dude, owned. Don't pronounce the 'p'"

**Magnus:** "Sorry ..."

**Nightbringer:** "Hey! Am I invisible here?"

**Magnus:** "I think the big scary god thing is trying to get our attention"

**Ferrus:** "Ignore it. Fred's bi – **far** more interesting"

**Russ:** "Agreed". _Turns to Fred_ "So, a threesome with a lady friend of your choice?"

**Nightbringer:** "I'll be over there when you guys feel like advancing the plot ..."

_Back in orbit around Terra ..._

**Eldrad:** "Can't they concentrate on **anything**?"

**Malcador: **"They're Space Marines. Testosterone pumped up to max then add some. What do you expect? Did the Emperor not send them on this pointless quest to occupy them while we foiled Hasbro?"

**Eldrad:** "Well ... that's what I told him"

**Malcador:** "What?"

**Eldrad: **"Who's idea do you think this was? His? Bah. The Emperor couldn't fight his way out of close combat with a snotling unless someone rolled the dice for him"

**Malcador: **"Are you saying you've been behind everything?"

**Eldrad:** "Is that so surprising?"

**Malcador:** "But why? What's the point?"

**Eldrad:** "Well ... as it's just me and you here. The reason is-"

_We interrupt this plot revelation to cut to our heroes Lion El'jonson, Horus, Lorgar, and Asdrubael Vect as they approach the world of Cali Forna, where looks are everything ... apparently ..._

**Horus:** "So Bile's down there?"

**Vect: **"Last I heard. There's an orphanage there that deals with kids from parents consider them too ugly to associate themselves with. It's the closest one to Tenrise IV, which fits what I heard last time I chatted to Bile over Warp Messenger ..."

**Lorgar: **"Excellent. The sooner we get Horus his arms back the sooner we can find the Oracle of Oblivion and the location of the Final Key, and the sooner we can get back to the pub and wait for the others to finish their pointless quests ..."

**Horus:** "Who wants to bet we'll be first?"

**Lion: **"But ... the Moogles?"

**Lorgar:** "Hmm ... good point. I suppose we should warn someone before the universe collapses into a pile of cuteness ..."

**Horus:** "Arms first. Oracle next. Key then Moogles. Agreed?"

**Lorgar:** "Sounds good ..."

**Lion: **"... Agreed"

**Lorgar: **"How can you have a dramatic emphasis with only one word?"

**Horus:** "He did it"

**Vect:** "Amazing ... what are you doing tonight?"  
**  
Lorgar:** "Despite his pretty-boy appearance, Lion is straight"

**Vect: **"You silly Humans and your sexual orientation crap. You should be like us Eldar!"

**Horus:** "And give birth to gods that eat your friends and neighbours?"

**Vect:** "Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time ..."

**Horus: **"Enough, this conversation is creeping me out, Vect is scaring me, and I want to scratch my own ass for the first time in millennia. Thrall – prepare our lander! I have an appointment with Bile!"

**Vect:** "Do you really?"

**Horus: **"No ... I'm hoping he'll let me in on the basis he gets to play with the living Horus instead of a splattered dead corpse this time"

**Lorgar:** "You're selling yourself to Bile? You must love your arms ..."

**Horus:** "You have no idea ... there are some things no one should ask Thrall to do ..."

**Vect:** _Opens his mouth._

**Horus:** "No"

_Meanwhile, in the Endless Hells of Kith ..._

**Konrad: **"So ... any ideas?"

**Khan:** "The Key seems to be inside a volcano ... how much damage does lava inflict?"

**Konrad:** "Per round? It'll be Dangerous Terrain ... so a one in six change every few seconds of a wound with no save allowed ... we could last a minute or two ..."

**Khan: **"Hmm ... with no way of knowing where inside the Volcano the key is ... we cannot chance it ... we need a way of protecting ourselves from the heat ..."

**Konrad:** "Again ... this is where I wish Vulkan was with us. How do you think he's doing?"

**Khan: **"With Roboute and Alpharious? I do not wish to know. My mind must focus on the problem at hand. I shall meditate ... and let the spirits of the earth communicate with me. Perhaps they shall know of the answer I seek"

**Konrad:** "Right ... well ... good luck with that. I'll be over here trying to get a good signal on my Warpband. Perhaps I can Google something ..."

**Khan:** "Pah"

**Konrad:** "Laugh all you want ... ah here we are ... ah ... no ... no good ... guys?" _He calls over to several Night Lord Marines milling about nearby_. "A hand?"

_Several minutes later, a single Night Lord Marine stands atop a balancing tower of his brothers with an aerial in hand. Konrad calls up from below. _

**Konrad:** "Good job guys! I've got a strong signal here. Now no one move! I just need to Google 'lava protection' ... hmm ... why does it return the sex lives of fire elementals? Ah ... here we are ... _Protection From Fire Level 10_. Simple psyker card, available to Astartes Librarians ... so by default us Primarchs as well ... unless anyone has a problem with this by RAW?"

**Marines:** "No ... we're cool!"

**Konrad:** "Excellent ... Khan! I have a solution!"

**Khan:** "Good. The earth is silent. It does not wish to speak with me"

**Konrad:** "I wonder why ..."

**Khan:** penetrating gaze

**Konrad: **"Oh joy ..."

_Elsewhere ..._

**Dorn:** "Hmm ... where to find clues ... lots of Orks around here ..."

**Blue-armoured guy:** "Wonder why? Perhaps because this is an Ork-held world?"

**Dorn:** "Good point ... hey wait ... don't I know you from somewhere?"

**Blue-armoured guy: **"Probably. You look familiar. Only one guy I know can dress in yellow and still look bad ass"

**Dorn:** "Same with blue ... and I'm not talking about Rob ... wait! Allister Caine!"  
**  
Caine, Cygnar Warcaster: **"Rogal Dorn!"

**Dorn: **"Wait ... what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Warmachine?"

**Caine:** "All capitals dude. It's company requirement"

**Dorn:** "Sorry ... WARMACHINE"

**Caine**: "Better. Well ... I'm searching for the others"

**Dorn: **"Others? What the hell? They're here?"

**Caine: **"Yeah. Half our special characters have gone missing, and last I heard they're here. They're looking for the Fish of Time too"

**Dorn:** "What for?"

**Caine:** "Best guesses? To swap GW and Privateer Press around so PP started it all first ..."

**Dorn:** "What? Why aren't you with them?"

**Caine:** "Me? I like being the little guy instead of the bloated, greedy corporation"

**Dorn:** "Good point ... so you think they're here ..."

**Caine:** "The Butcher and Karchev are ... I heard he's lined up to be Garlock's opponent next round. That is, until you showed up. Now Garlock's talking about a showdown between you guys and them to see who gets to face him and win the Hope Key ..."

**Dorn:** "I see ... a fight between gaming systems!" _Clenches his fist._ "Bring it on ..."

_Who will win this titanic clash of awesome warriors of epic win? Tune in for the next chapter of Primarchs (which will be a little smaller than this one, I'm afraid!)._

_**New Year Eve's Interlude**_

Master, although at least let me try my hand at more serious fiction before you land that title on me.

**Fred:** "So everyone had a good New Year?"

**Magnus:** "It was OK"

**Perturabo:** "Passable"

**Vulkan:** "Man, I've seen better"

**Fred:** "Wow ... what's with you guys? Ever heard of a little party cheer?"

**Magnus:** "My dear, when you've seen over 10,000 of them, another year isn't much"

**Fred:** "Oh ... good point. Guess I must seem a little young eh?"

**Ferrus:** "Practically jailbait in comparison"

**Magnus:** "What?"

**Ferrus:** laughs

**Dorn:** "Emperor almighty man, it'll be like a mortal dating an **embryo**"

**Magnus:** "WHAT?!?"

**Fred:** "Relax, they're just jealous I prefer the older, **wiser** type of man" _Hooks her arm in Magnus' (and yes, the size difference is somewhat disturbing when you remember what Magnus now looks like (hint: Gargantuan)). _"Shall we lose them?"

**Magnus:** "Yes, my dear. Do lets" _As they walk off he gives the subtle 'I just pulled' look to Ferrus, who returns with the thumbs-up._

**Ferrus:** "Well ... guess Magnus won't be appearing in today's chapter"

**Dorn:** "Neither will you, because you two are in the same scene"

**Ferrus: **"Oh ... crap"

**Horus:** "Enough talking! I hope everyone had a good New Year! 2008 has arrived! The year of the Daemon! Ork! Vampire Counts! And possibly 5th Ed! For real! I now declare Chapter 27 ... begin!"

_Er ... thanks._

**Horus:** "Anytime. I know I'm just awesome like that


	27. Chapter 27

_**Chapter Twenty-seven**_

_"So I was like 'You want to betray the Emperor?' And Horus was all like 'Yeah, that's cool'" - Erebus, on the dramatic scene in _False Gods

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_In the battle command bridge of the _Vengeful Spirit III_, the great Farseer of Ulthwe, Eldrad Ulthran, and the powerful psyker Malcador (who seems to have recovered somewhat from sustaining the Plot Device Webway ten thousand years ago) watch the Siege of Terra II unfold in the safety of space._

**Eldrad:** "What about the weapon platforms orbiting Terra? Have they been compromised?"

**Malcador:** "It seems the Martian Techpriests have allied themselves with the Void Dragon and have given all technological defences of Terra to Necron control"

**Eldrad:** "What about your half-naked Custodes?"

**Malcador:** "Half-naked?"

**Eldrad:** "Yeah, didn't they swore never to wear their armour and only a black loincloth and cloak for failing to protect your Corp ... I mean Emperor?"

**Malcador:** "Wow. I missed that. So ... they're like emo Spartans now?"

**Eldrad:** "Guess so. So what about them?"

**Malcador:** "If my intel is to believed, they're leading underground resistance forces in hit-and-run attacks on key Necron units using the Kill Team rules"

**Eldrad:** "Tell them they're getting an official army list soon"

**Malcador:** "Just for this campaign I assume?"

**Eldrad:** "Oh of course. It'll be banned from official tournaments afterwards and relegated to a dumbed-down Apocalypse datasheet like my strike force"

**Malcador:** "Dude, that sucks"

**Eldrad:** "Yeah, but I had forseen it. Which let me sell them all on eBay beforehand and buy myself a Revenant from Forgeworld"

**Malcador:** "Must be handy being a Farseer"

**Eldrad: **"Kind of. It's annoying seeing the end to this chapter and being bound by a non-disclosure agreement with Lastie not to spoil it"

**Malcador:** "Oh come on - a hint at least?"

**Eldrad:** "Don't eat the cookies"

**Malcador: **"Really? Oh ... OK. I'll keep that in mind ..."

**Eldrad:** "Getting back on track ... what about the Sisters of Silence?"

**Malcador:** "Suffered Spontaneous Mass Fluff Existence Failure somewhere along the timeline. Can't have two all-female army lists in this game anyway, and Sisters of Battle are more cooler ... and were first"

**Eldrad:** "Fair enough, so that leaves us with just the Imperial Fists ... what are they up to?"

**Malcador:** "Holding the line. Ezzie's leading the main force, he's got the Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Space Wolves, and a rediculous number of Imperial Guard led by Yarrick as support"

**Eldrad:** "That's all?"

**Malcador:** "Well the rest of the Imperium is busy keeping the Necrons at bay. We've got Tomb worlds waking up all over the place, and the Tyranids haven't been quiet either. The Orks are refusing to co-operate, and gave us the finger when we asked for help. Mind you, they were creative, said finger was made out of the bodies of all our diplomats ..."

**Eldrad:** "What about the Tau?"

**Malcador:** "Too busy watching endless repeats of _Gundam_ to offer any help ... bunch of bloody otakus ..."

**Eldrad:** "So that just leaves us Eldar. I've been on the Warp-phone to as many Craftworlds as I could. Unfortunately we have a problem ..."

**Malcador:** "What's that?"

**Eldrad:** "The Great Enemy ... C S Goto ... has resulted in a plague amongst my people. Instead of a noble race that practices great self-restraint and desire to see our empire restored ... we're now too busy killing each other and taking on flying Space Marine Terminators with the butts of our Reaper Missile Launchers to care for our survival ... we're a dying race ... only in this case it's in the imaginations of the next generation of gamers"

**Malcador:** "Wow ... that's ... horrible!"

**Eldrad:** "Indeed. We have our own fight, Malcador. One we must win ... or be reduced to the two-dimensional 'evil alien' image our Dark Kin suffered for years thanks to non-existent background fluff"

**Malcador:** "They got over it - look at them now! You will too! Hold fast! Keep the faith! Someday ... Jes Goodwin will grace you with more awesome models and make your race proud again!"

**Eldrad:** "Indeed. Praise be to Jes!"

_Torgaddon enters carrying a tray of hot steaming drinks and a plate of delicious chocolate-chip cookies for everyone._

**Torgaddon:** "Alright folks, caffeine sustenance and tasy snacks"

**Malcador:** "Ah cheers Tarik ... wait ... cookies? What have you done to it?"

**Torgaddon:** "Erm ... nothing. They're cookies. Chocolate-chip. Are you on a diet or something?"

**Malcador:** "You poisoned it right? Kill me for being a dirty loyalist? HAH! That's it! I'm onto your plan traitor!!"

**Torgaddon:** "Er ... no. It's just a cookie"

**Malcador:** "I see through you Tarik Torgaddon! You can't fool me!! I'll get my own damn cookies from now on!!"

_Malcador storms out to seek the kitchen. _

**Eldrad:** _Taking a handful off the plate. _"Hmm ... more cookies for me. My lucky day"

**Torgaddon:** "Is there a day that goes by when you **don't** manipulate people for your own benefit?"

**Eldrad:** "I'm Eldar"

**Torgaddon:** "Guess that's a no. Wait ... is it the end of the chapter already? Where are the Primarchs?"

_Meanwhile, deep inside the heart of an active volcano on the Endless Hells of Kith ..._

**Konrad:** "Wait ... is that a Dragon?"

**Khan:** "I believe we've found the fantasy-crossover the audience requested"

**Malekith, Witch-King and Award-Winning Author of Maxim Magazine's 'How To Date Your Mum': **"And I believe I've found the main characters" _Extends a metal claw_. "Prepare yourselves Primarchs! The Fish of Time is no prize for just the 40K universe to enjoy! I will spare your life ... if you tell me where to find that pathetic 'recycled IN SPACE' version of me that mortals call Asdrubael Vect!"

_The Primarchs stare blankly for a moment._

**Malekith:** "What? I thought I made the point clear in a suitably evil fashion?"

**Konrad:** "Aren't you the dude who's screwing his own mum?"


	28. Chapter 28

_**Chapter Twenty-eight**_

_"Where's the damn kitchen on this vessel! What do you mean it doubles as the toilets? Who the hell's in charge of the catering staff? Oh ... Typhus ... right ..." - Malcador the Sigilite_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_Deep in the heart of an active volcano on the Endless Hells of Kith, Khan and Konrad discover blatant disregard to the GW insistence that WFB and 40K do not share a common universe!_

**Konrad:** "What are you doing here mummy's boy? Our two universe haven't shared the same canon source since the early nineties!"

**Malekith:** "I found a loophole through the realms of fanfiction and fanon, it was surprisingly easy to traverse the canon barriers especially in the wake of our current situation with Hasbro"

**Konrad:** "Who? What? Speak sense man!"

**Malekith:** "Elf, actually"

**Konrad:** "Whatever, it's tough to see under all that scaring ..."

**Malekith:** "Do not mention the scars! If it wasn't for them **I** would have won Cosmopoliton's No.1 Most Eligible Bachelor! Not that closet nerd Eldrad Ulthran!"

**Konrad:** "I sense issues here ... is that why you're screwing your mum?"

**Malekith:** "Leave mummy out of this! Actually that's why I'm here in the first place ..."

**Konrad:** "Oh?"

**Malekith:** "Morathi's gone missing ... our expert scriers located her presence in this universe and I was able to follow her footsteps here, but I've lost the trail ... I bet she's finally made do on her threat to leave me for Vect!"

**Konrad:** "Why not use that finely-honed Elven booty sense? The one that tells you where the sex, drugs, and over-indulgeance is from miles away?"

**Malekith:** "It's not working properly, there's a great presence in the Force that blocks it ..."

_Kerrigan and Angron collapse onto the bed._

**Kerrigan:** "Lets not do that again for a while - I need to recover dear!"

**Angron:** _Hoping out of bed._ "No worries, I'll go grab us an intermission snack"

**Malekith:** "Hmm ... it's gone now. Sensing all decadance in the surrounding systems ... a large point nearby ... a world of excessive pleasures ..."

**Khan:** "A Slaaneshi Daemon world?"

**Konrad:** "Could be ... having said that wasn't the place where Mortarion, Fulgrim and Sanguinius were sent nearby?"

**Khan:** "Indeed, the system is only a couple dozen light years away!"

**Malekith:** "A world of pleasure, I'm betting mother's there having fun without me ... I must depart! Druchii host! Onwards!"

_Suddenly thousands of Dark Elf warriors appear from the darkness and follow Malekith as he heads towards the surface._

**Konrad:** "What about the lava?"

**Malekith:** "I'll use the back door!"

**Khan:** piercing gaze

**Konrad:** "Sorry, how was I supposed to know?"

**Khan:** "No matter, now that the Dark Elves are gone were can continue to search for the Key"

**Konrad:** "It's probably down there" _He points further down a different path in the cave system, where a faint glow can be seen_.

**Khan: **"What gave it away?"

**Konrad:** "The glow?"

**Khan:** "That's what I thought - let's move!"

_They start running._

**Konrad:** "A thought - how's Malekith going to get offworld?"

**Khan:** "Via Plot Hole, most likely"

**Konrad:** "Damn sneaky"

_Rounding a corner, they come to a sudden stop before a vast chamber. At the centre of which a huge array of plasma TV screens have been fixed. A single chair is positioned in front of them all, and the giant mounds of thousands of used cigarettes encircle it. A small servitor hurries back and forth between the chair and a giant fridge nearby._

**Konrad:** "I think we found more than just the key ... hey Carl!"

_The occupant of the chair turns around and throws a huge grin._

**Carl:** "Hey man ... how's it going? What's it been? A week?"

**Konrad:** "Try ten thousand years Carl"

**Carl:** "Wow ... man ... that's like ... whoa ... ten thousand years? Wow ... Korrang's still crap ..."

**Konrad:** "Is that what you're watching? Good music ..."

**Carl:** "Thought you might like it ... a beer?"

**Konrad:** "Sure ... why not?"

**Khan:** "But our quest!"

**Konrad:** "Can wait ... I need a drink So Carl, how's it been? Where's you Legion?"

**Carl: **"Had to sell them, only way I got these fifteen babies ..."

**Khan:** "You sold your Legion for a set of TV screens?"

**Carl:** "Hey man ... down with the harsh attitude ... wasn't like I was going to use them for anything ... they were just using my weed man ... drinking all my beer ... they had to go ..."

**Konrad:** "Who did you sell them to?"

**Carl:** "Some guy called Fabulous Bile or something ..."

**Khan:** "Who knows what manner of horrific genetic monstrosities Bile will create out of the Fear Loathers!!"

**Konrad:** "As if the Fear Lothers would make good test subjects. Carl, can you tell us where the Key of Battle is?"

**Carl: **"What this?" _Holds up a small chunk of metal covered in elaborate Eldar runes. _"I thought it was the remote ..."

**Konrad:** "No Carl, it is far more important than that. Come with us! We're saving the universe!"

**Carl:** "Nah I'm good thanks ... it's a back-to-back Metallica in a sec"

**Konrad:** "Really?" _He ponders for a moment, ignoring the look on Khan's face (piercing gaze, what else?)_ "I suppose I could spare a moment or two"

**Khan: **piercing gaze

_And speaking of Bile ..._

**Receptionist:** "Hello and welcome to Bile Genetics Inc. How many I help you?"

**Horus:** "We'd like to see Bile please ..."

**Receptionist:** "Do you have an appointment?"

**Horus:** "No, but-"

**Receptionist:** "Then sit down over there please and await for a moment when Mr. Bile is not busy"

**Horus:** "Oh ... when will that be?"

**Receptionist:** "Current estimates place sometime next millennia. We thank you for your patience"

**Horus:** "What? Now look here! I'm the bloody Warmaster!"

**Receptionist:** "That post is currently filled by a Mr. E Abaddon"

**Horus:** "What? That little git! He stole my Warmaster Benefits Card!"

**Receptionist:** "If you would like to lodge a complaint, our Complaints Department will get back to you within the next 100 years"

**Horus:** "Look we're kind of in an emergency here-"

**Receptionist:** "Please sit down and await your turn"

**Horus:** "But-"

**Receptionist:** "Please sit down sir or I'll have to call security"

**Horus:** "Well call them! Because I want to see Bile NOW!"

**Receptionist:** "Very well sir, you leave me with no choice" _She pressed a button under the desk._

_Several heavily armed (as in, they have many of them) gribbly things enter the reception lobby._

**Receptionist:** "Mr. Bile will be pleased to know his latest Primarch-Killing Carnifex Spawn have been tested"

**Horus:** "Primarch-Killing Carnifex Spawn?!?!"

**Lorgar:** "Nice one Horus ... nice one"

**Horus:** _Out of the corner of his mouth._ "And who's idea was it to side with Chaos in the first place?"

**Lorgar:** "Touche"


	29. Chapter 29

_**Chapter Twenty-nine**_

_"The buses are late? Exterminatus. Your boss not giving you a pay rise? Exterminatus. Ex-wife hassling you? Exterminatus. Is there any problem Exterminatus cannot solve? I have not found one yet" - Inquisitor Lord Coteaz_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_Having tacked Bile down, Horus, Lorgar and Lion El'jonson prepare to face the infamous Biomancer to gain Horus' arms back and restore the former Warmaster to his full fighting glory! However, Bile throws a spanner into the words with a shocking development!_

**Lorgar:** "How comes Carnifexes have higher Strength and Toughness than us?"

**Horus:** "Forget that, how comes they get the same physical stats, almost, as a C'tan? _And cost half the price?_"

**Lion:** "Because ... GW ... wish to sell ... a lot of them ... obviously"

**Horus:** "Dude, could you cut that out? It's tiring skipping past all those dots every time I come to your dialogue when we're reading the scripts before rehersals"

**Lion:** "You pay attention during rehersals, Mr-Method-Acting-Is-For-Wimps?"

**Horus:** "I'm the bloody Warmaster! Genius runs through my veins! People love me; women want to be with me ... and so do the men half the time which is **incredibly** disturbing ... but ... but **I'm the bloody Warmaster!**"

**Lorgar:** "Duly noted. So ... Warmaster ... any idea how to defeat the walking bio-tanks?"

**Lion:** "How well can you wound them?"

**Lorgar:** "Unlike you pansy Loyalists-"

**Horus:** "I'm not loyal!"

**Lorgar:** "But you're still relatively Human ... as I was saying ... unlike you guys I took a level in badass after the Heresy - BEHOLD DAEMONIC STATURE!!"

**Lion:** "Wow ... I thought they got rid of that last Codex?"

**Lorgar:** "I didn't buy it, therefore I still fight using the old rules. I thank Magnus for his intricate knowledge of the fickle and badly-worded laws of physics that govern our universe!"

**Horus:** "So ... Mr. Monstrous Creature ... plan on whopping any Carnifex ass any time soon? Or are we going to sit here and talk for the entire Chapter like always?"

**Lion:** "We get some action done"

**Horus:** "True, but most of it's off-screen. How did we escape from the Rock? I don't know, that script wasn't written"

_You used your bad-ass Primarch skills. What else?_

**Horus:** "Ah! Of course. I'm a bad-ass Primarch! Thanks because I somehow keep forgetting that"

**Lorgar:** "Really?"

**Horus:** "No! That was sarcasm fool!"

**Lorgar:** "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to point that out every time you use it. Sarcasm doesn't translate well on Internet forums ..."

**Lion:** "Enough talking! Someone give me a Power Fist! I just have this crappy Sword of Honest Truth ..."

**Horus:** "What the hell does that do?"

**Lion:** "The opposite to the other Swords - I get -2 Strength and it ignores **my** Armour Saves!"

**Horus:** "Wow that sucks ... where did all that good Dark Angels wargear go?"

**Lion:** "Ask Jervis"

**Horus:** "Point"

**Lorgar:** "Right, Horus, Lion, stay back! I'm about to use cheesy Haines Rules!"

**Horus:** "Oh crap ..."

**Lorgar:** "I USE DEUS EX MACHINA!"

_A bright light appears and engulfs Lorgar, for a moment there is nothing to see but a sea of white, then Lorgar appears, dressed in __**epic**__ armour and wielding a huge sword._

**Lorgar:** "BEHOLD! THE ARMOUR OF BEARDYNESS AND THE SWORD OF CHEESE! With these epic items, forged by the Gods of old and forgotten amongst the dark depths of White Dwarf, I am blessed with a 2+ re-rollable Invulnerable Save, double Strength (to a maximum of 10), re-roll misses, and RENDING!"

**Horus:** "Not Rending!"

**Lorgar:** "Yes! Rending!"

**Horus:** "Kick their asses!"

**Lorgar:** "I plan to" _He leaps into action. A whirlwind of death and destruction, Lorgar destroys everything in his path. Eventually the devastation ends, and Lorgar stands triumphant._

**Lion:** "Congratulations, you managed to kill the Receptionist, destroy her desk and chair, obliterate her computer, kill the guy next to her carrying the files she asked for earlier, the old dude sitting nearby waiting for his appointment, the mother and her child who was screaming too loudly, the woman waiting for her appointment who was pissed off by the kid, the little girl reading the comic books and her dad who was reading his, the teenager sitting next to them making glances at the attractive woman sitting opposite, said attractive woman sitting opposite and her arrogant boyfriend, the vicar sitting near them, and the nun beside him, plus all the furniture they were sitting on and the posters on the wall ... yet .. somehow ... **THOSE BLOODY CARNIFEXES ARE STILL STANDING!**"

**Lorgar:** "What? How?"

**Lion:** "Regeneration"

**Lorgar:** "Now that's just not fair!"

**Horus:** "Says the guy using the 3.5 Ed Chaos Codex?"

**Lorgar:** "Right ... time to be **really** cheesy ... I USE THE POWER OF RULES AS WRITTEN!"_ Pulls out a large book from seemingly nowhere._ "According to paragraph B, column A, of the Fifth Edition Rulebook Regeneration may be used when a wounding hit is allocated, and I quote, "roll a D6 for each wound suffered, on a 6, gain a wound" however it fails to mention the wounding hit meaning you must re-allocated it to that wound, meaning you will roll for Regeneration again, meaning you must re-allocate my wounding hit again ..."

**Lion:** "Wait ... did Lorgar just do what I think he did?"

**Horus:** "Put the Carnifexes into a TTG BSOD*? Yeah ... looks like it ..."

**Lorgar:** "I'll credit that one to Magnus, obsessive rules-lawyer he is ... right guys, while they're trapped in an infinite loop of badly-designed rules, lets find Bile!"

**Bile:** "No need, for I am here ..."

**Lorgar:** "Bile!"

**Lion:** "Bile!!!"  
**  
Vect:** "Hey! How's it going? Looking good!"

**Horus:** "Bile! I need arms!"

**Bile:** "And I need a Power Weapon, but we can't all have everything we want ..."

**Horus:** "Bile, I'll do anything, but I need to fight! The universe depends on me!"

**Bile:** "Then we have ourselves a little situation. See ... I'm not happy that Ezzie took your dead body away from me and destroyed all my clones of you, ruining my little 'Horus Shrine' in the process"

**Horus:** "Wait ... 'Horus Shrine'?"

**Bile:** "Oh yes ..." _He opens his lab coat to reveal a 'I HEART HORUS!' T-shirt underneath._ "I am the founding member of the 'Horus Appreciation Guild', those clones were going to be membership gifts for new members ... but then Ezzie ruined all that!"

**Horus:** "Oh ... so ... what do you want from me?"

**Bile:** _Evil grin._ "I want an exclusive two-hour interview with everyone's favourite Primarch! I'll podcast it on my HAG site for all HAG members to download and play on their iPods! I'll conduct a live Q&A for all your fans to Astropath in txt messages with their questions!"

**Horus:** "Oh ... OK ... guess I don't really have a choice ...."

**Lorgar:** _Pats Horus on the shoulder._ "Was nice knowing you. In the case that your sanity doesn't survive the endless questions from your adoring fans ... can I have your _Star Wars_ DVDs?"

**Horus:** _Possessive look._

* Table-Top Gaming Blue Screen Of Death, like the thing your computer does when everything goes to hell with Windows ...


	30. Chapter 30

_**Chapter Thirty**_

**Lorgar:** "No ... wait! "

**Fulgrim:** "Oh! We're selling clothes now? Oh my! I have some ideas I cou-"

_We interrupt everyone's favourite narcisstic Primarch to bring you the obligatory opening intro:_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_As the galaxy slowly spirals into a war unlike any others (buy your summer campaign merchandise from all good GW stores near you!), a small Tau outpost in the Eastern Fringe casually goes about its business as normal, unaware three immensely powerful beings and their elite squads of genetically engineered warriors have infiltrated the base in clever disguise ..._

**Tau Munitions Officer: **"I'll need you to check in that armour at the depot, sir"

**Roboute:** "What? I mean ... of course comrade! However, there seems to be a problem with the catch release, I can't get it off. Is there a medical bay where I can get treatment for a comrade's wounds?

**Tau Munitions Officer: **"No problem, I'll just get a plasma cutter and you'll be out of there in no time-"

**Roboute:** "NO! I mean ... ahem ... comrade, I'm deathly allergic to plasma! A whiff of the stuff and I go down like a drunk grox!"

**Tau Munitions Officer: **"A drunk what?"

**Roboute:** "Oh, I thought that was a universal joke? What's our equivalent of a grox?"

**Tau Munitions Officer:** "A Space Marine; both big dumb and easy to kill"

**Roboute:** "WHAT?!?! I mean ... ahem ... well said comrade ... well said ... I'm going to f****** kill you later ... "

**Tau Munitions Officer: **"What was that?"

**Roboute:** "Oh ... nothing ... you're so dead"

**Tau Munitions Officer: **"Because it sounds like you're threatening to kill me under your breath ..."

**Roboute:** "I assure you comrade, that would not be beneficial to the Greater Good ..."

**Tau Munitions Officer: **"Oh cheers, I like to think I'm useful ..."

**Roboute:** "However, going away and leaving me alone **will** be beneficial to the Greater Good"

**Tau Munitions Officer:** "Will it? Well ... it **is** the Greater Good ..."

_He walks off, leaving a very surprised Roboute._

**Roboute: **"I can't believe that worked ..."

**Alpharious:** _Walking up behind Roboute, dressed in Crisis Suit armour as well._ "The Tau are a simple folk. Mention the Greater Good and they'll do anything for you. I got the schematics of the base and all the high-level security codes by mentioning to one Fire Warrior it would be in the best interest of the Greater Good to let me know all this base's secrets"

**Roboute:** "What? Very nice comrade!"

**Alpharious:** "... Rob ... it's me ... Alpharious ..."

**Roboute:** "How do I know that? How do I know you're not a Tau disguised as a Primarch disguised as a Crisis Suit?"

**Alpharious:** "Perhaps I'm a Primarch disguised as a Tau disguised as a Primarch disguised as a Crisis Suit, ever thought that?"

**Roboute:** "That makes sense. So, brother Alpharious? How goes the intel-gathering?"

**Alpharious:** "... good ... yeah ... good"

**Roboute:** "Where is the Key we search for then?"

**Alpharious: **"Still working on that one"

**Roboute:** "Really? You're not very good at this are you?"

**Alpharious:** "... obviously not. Look, I've heard the martial bunks are a good place to start. Go and chat around there"

**Roboute:** "Sure, good idea!"

_Roboute wanders off as Vulkan approaches Alpharious, he too is disguised as a Crisis Suit._

**Vulkan:** "Where did you send him?"

**Alpharious:** "Away. Now, I've got these schematics. They detail information about every floor in the fortress except for those of B12 and lower, which are unmarked"

**Vulkan:** "You think the Key's down there?"

**Alpharious:** "I've watched enough films to see blatant Plot Points when they appear. This has Secret Underground Base written all over it. Trouble is getting down there ..."

**Vulkan:** "High security?"

**Alpharious:** "And then some ... we need key cards Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Charlie, Wilson, Bob, and Derek to get in just the first gate. The second's even harder ..."

**Vulkan:** "More key cards?"

**Alpharious:** "No, get GW to release decent FAQs"

**Vulkan:** "Ouch. That'll be tricky"

**Alpharious:** "Well ... one thing at a time. First we need those key cards. Now I managed to get Derek from a Fire Warrior by mentioning the Greater Good, but I doubt that will work a second time ..."

**Vulkan:** "No ... this will be tricky ..."

**Roboute:** "Hey guys, look what I found! Cool little plastic discs with 'Alpha', 'Beta', 'Gamma', 'Charlie', 'Wilson' and 'Bob' written on them ..."

_Stunned silence._

**Alpharious:** "Roboute ... how the **** did you manage to do something constructive with your life?"

**Roboute:** "Hey man ... I'm like ... the Smurf Pimp!"

**Alpharious:** "That's not really a good title to have Rob"

**Roboute:** "But Pimps are cool!"

**Alpharious:** "We try not to endorse prostitution here ..."

**Roboute:** "What has that got to do with Pimps?"

**Alpharious:** "... Rob ... do you actually **understand** half the things you say?"

**Roboute:** "Why wouldn't I? I'm a Primarch! I have, like, genetical-knowledge-thingies in me!"

**Alpharious:** "You were dropped on the head while a test tube weren't you?"

**Roboute:** "Eh?"

**Vulkan:** "Leave him be, Alpharious. Rob has more important things to worry about, like making sure he keeps breathing"

**Alpharious:** "Fair enough. So, we have all the keys for the first gate. That leaves the second, and how to get GW to release FAQs within five years of a Codex's publication ..."

**Roboute:** "Oh that's easy. Tell them chicks dig FAQs"

**Alpharious:** "Yeah Rob, whatev- ... wait ... that could be crazy enough to work ..."

_Fifteen minutes and one phone call later._

**Alpharious:** "Well that was remarkably easy. Congratulations Rob, my opinion of you has totally changed thanks to two remarkably decent performances there"

**Roboute:** "Oh yeah! Rob's in da house!"

**Alpharious:** "Yes ... well you know my opinion of you? It's reverted"

**Roboute:** "It's got better?!?"

**Alpharious:** "... yes Rob ... yes ... it has indeed got better ... in negativity"

**Roboute:** "Who's da man!"

**Alpharious:** "Can we scene-change now? Please? Before I kill him?"

**Vulkan:** "In the same way he 'killed' you?"

**Alpharious:** "No, because unlike Rob, I'm actually good at this 'being a genetically engineered superhuman' thing"

**Vulkan:** "You sided with Chaos, I believe that voids all your rights to bear opinions"

**Alpharious:** "When I get Daemonic Gifts? I believe I'm happy with that trade ..."

**Vulkan:** "What? Oh God-damn cheesy Chaos wargear!"

**Alpharious:** "Enough talk. Lets get our collective asses downstairs and find out what these Tau are keeping locked up in their basement"

**Vulkan:** "Who wants to bet it's nothing good?"

**Alpharious:** "I'll bet you it's as likely as some random Tanith dying at the end of the next Gaunt's Ghost book"

**Vulkan:** "I like it when things are certain ... lets roll ladies!"

_They head down into the lower floors of the fortress .._


	31. Chapter 31

_**Chapter Thrity-one**_

_"I don't care if you have an iron-cast aliby, twenty witnesses all swearing you never did the deed, and forensic evidence of your innocence - it proves nothing!! Nothing I say!!" - Inquisitor Lord Coteaz_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

**Lorgar:** "Look, is it really necessary to repeat all this **every** time we have a new chapter?"

_Well, if BL insist on putting those paragraphs at the beginning of __**every**__ BL book (and you know the ones) ..._

**Horus:** "Dude ... **issues **..."

_Oh quiet. You're not in this chapter anyway ..._

**Vulkan:** "Damn straight!"

**Backing Choir:** "Who's that Primarch who smites all the heretics? VULKAN!"

**Vulkan:** "You know it baby ..."

_Continuing from last chapter ..._

**Vulkan:** "So ... any ideas?"

**Alpharious:** "I have to admit ... I didn't quite imagine it to be so ... large ..."

**Roboute:** "Or green ..."

**Vulkan:** "Or pulsating ..."

**Alpharious:** "Erm ... we are all talking about the same thing here right? The giant Necron monolith they have stored underground in their secret research facility we've stunningly managed to infiltrate while wearing Crisis suits taken from those Fire Warriors we butchered a few hours back?"

**Vulkan:** "Yeah ... why?"

**Alpharious: **"Just checking, I don't want innuendo to ruin my scene"

**Roboute:** "In your what?"

**Alpharious:** "Never mind Rob, just take the medication ... Vulkan ... any ideas?"

**Vulkan:** "It's not important. We ignored it. Our focus is the Key, not any stupid things the Tau may be doing to long-dormant Necron war machines ..."

**Alpharious:** "Agreed ... lets all just carry on investigating. The key's most likely around here somewhere ... it's an ancient Eldar relic so would look suitably sexy to Earth Caste scientists ..."

**Vulkan:** "Right ... everyone split up an- ... **ROB! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?!**"

**Roboute:** "So pretty ... it's got my favourite shade of blue ..."

**Random (And Doomed) Earth Caste Scientist:** "What the hell is he doing? Get that suit away from X-51!"

**Another Random (And Equally Doomed) Earth Caste Scientist:** "NO! Don't touch the object!"

_He does. Hell Breaks Loose._

**Vulkan:** "It's alive! Watch our for the Particle Whip!"

**Alpharious:** "Dude ... it's only AP3 ..."

**Vulkan:** "Oh ... had me worried there for a moment ... he he ... look at all the Tau dying in droves ... sucks to be science personnel wearing 6+ Armour Saves ..."

**Alpharious:** "Rob! Vulkan! He's stepping into the portal!"

**Roboute:** "Such ... fantastic ... diamond ... iPods!"

**Vulkan:** "Damn it Rob!"

_Vulkan runs after Rob, but fails to reach his brother before the portal closes._

**Vulkan:** "NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

**Alpharious:** "Suitably dramatic, but you don't have to fool anyone. The Ultramarines with us got lost a couple of floors up and I haven't seen them since"

**Vulkan:** "Oh ... in which case: DAMMIT ROB! I WANTED TO JUMP THROUGH THE PORTAL AND KICK NECRON ASS ON THEIR HOME TURF!!"

**Alpharious:** "Right ... I guess that throws dealing with this Monolith into a new light ..."

**Vulkan:** "Easy ..."

_Vulkan punches the Monolith. It crashes to the ground and the giant crystal atop dims. _

**Alpharious:** "In the words of Ferrus Manus ... double-ewe tee eff question mark?"

**Vulkan:** "Living Metal-Coated Hands. Thought they might come in handy some time, other than they look awesome"

**Alpharious:** "Interesting, I guess the only thing Living Metal doesn't ignore is ... Living Metal ... right. We need the get the portal working" _Turns around to face the Space Marines (disguised as Stealth Suits). _"Spread out ... find any survivors. We need Earth Caste scientists"

**Space Marines ... in disguise!: **"FOR THE EMPEROR/CHAOS/DELETE AS APPROPRIATE!"

**Alpharious:** "Er ... yeah ..."

**Vulkan:** "I found one!"

_Vulkan lifts up a heavy bank of alien computers to reveal a Tau cowering beneath._

**Earth Caste Scientist:** "PLEASE! DON'T HURT ME!"

**Vulkan:** "Do not worry dirty xenos ... today you live, for we need one with yours skills"

**Alpharious:** "We need you to get the portal up and running. Can you do that?"

**Earth Caste Scientist:** "P-p-perhaps ..."

**Alpharious:** "I'm going to pretend that last answer was 'absolutely' and we'll roll with that ... OK?"

**Earth Caste Scientist:** "O-o-o-k ..."

**Alpharious:** "'Oook'? We're Jokearo now?"

**Earth Caste Scientist: **"I-I-I!!!"

**Vulkan:** "What's that smell?"

**Alpharious:** "I seem to have made him piss himself ... right - it's settled. We're calling you Otacon!"

**Otacon:** "W-w-what?"

_Meanwhile, half-way across the galaxy ..._

**Fulgrim:** "Maybe if we bribed it?"

**Sanguinius:** "With what?"

**Fulgrim:** "Membership accounts with major online porn and hentai groups?"

**Sanguinius:** "I don't have any! Not that I believe it would work anyway ..."

**Fulgrim:** "Oh of course ... and last night you were ... what?"

**Sanguinius:** "That was an accident! I wanted some bibles with a black cover ..."

**Fulgrim:** "A likely story!"

**Llama:** "Do you two mind?"

**Sanguinius:** "Anyway, that's a point ... Mortarion, what the hell are you doing with a Llama?"

**Mortarion:** "I met him a bar, he didn't reject me ... like you guys ..."

**Fulgrim:** "Oh go cry us a river of puss emo boy"

**Mortarion:** "Let it be known that at some stage in this story I shall be your only hope of getting out of a sticky situation! It's only the classic way of redemption!"

**Sanguinius:** "Yeah ... but this is a **parody** Mort. It exists to make fun of story tropes like that"

**Mortarion:** "Oh ... bugger"

**Ev'rii:** "Don't worry dear, I believe in you"

**Sanguinius:** "And what are the two random Daemonettes doing here?"

**Ka'ndii:** "We're not 'random'!"

**Fulgrim:** "At least they're both the old metal ones. We lost the new plastic 'nettes back with the Keeper of Secrets ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Good **Gods** will that thing not die?!?"

**Fulgrim:** "Gods? Sanguinius since when were you religious?"

**Sanguinius:** "I've been hanging around you too long, that's the problem ..."

_Suddenly the wall bursts down ..._

**Keeper of Secrets:** "I've found you Primarchs!!"

**Fulgrim:** "CRAP!"

_The Keeper of Secrets lunges forwards ... then collapses and dies. An armoured figure pulls out his sword from the back of the Daemon's head._

**Malekith:** "Damn. It'll take **ages** to get Daemon blood off my sword ... oh ... more Primarchs?"

_Stunned silence._

**Sanguinius:** "Wait ... aren't you the guy who's screwing his own mum?"

**Malekith:** "Oh for the love of ... can people just **please** give that a rest?!?"


	32. Chapter 32

_**Chapter Thirty-two**_

_"We Eldar have gotten used to being screwed over by GW at every opportunity, to the point where we, in our infinite arrogance, believe that only __**we**__ can do 'getting screwed over' in __**style**__. The Squats? Pah, the stunties couldn't get eaten by Tyranids properly if they were given a guidebook with foot-high pictures, and __**annotated with designer's notes**__" - Eldrad Ulthran_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_Aboard Ezekyle Abaddon's flagship, the _Vengeful Spirit III_, our supporting cast mill about and wonder what to do with their lives while our __**real**__ heroes go about saving __**Life As We Know It**__!_

**Eldrad:** "Like hell I will. Taldeer, is the WRC channel established?"

**Taldeer:** "Yes Eldrad, you have moderator privileges"

**Eldrad:** "Excellent, sign me in"

**Torgaddon:** "So ... what is all this?" _He gestures around the room at the various psykers positioned in a hexagram, all of them silently chanting to themselves as warp-stuff leaks out of eyes and mouths._

**Eldrad:** "Oh, a Warp Relay Chat channel - WRC. I want to know how your Primarchs are doing and this is the best way"

**Torgaddon:** "Oh ... awesome"

**Abaddon:** _His face appears suspended above the floor at the centre of the hexagram._ "Excuse Tarik, the millennia have not been kind to what little intelligence he possessed before the 'Heresy'"

**Torgaddon:** "That's not nice Ezzie!"

**Abaddon:** "And stop calling me that! It was bad enough when I was given a first name, how are people supposed to take me seriously as the destroyer of worlds - The Despoiler - when I have a nickname!"

**Eldrad:** "Heaven forbid you should be given a three dimensional character ..."

**Abaddon:** "Exactly!"

_Horus, Lorgar, and the Lion sign on. Their faces appearing beside Ez- I mean ... Abaddon's._

**Horus: **"What's up?"

**Abaddon:** "Please my lord, it's bad enough when simple Marines use such vulgar modern-day-" _He looks at you._ "-to you guys at least - terminology, but for a **Primarch** to use it!"

**Horus:** "My apologies ... so what's up peeps?"

**Abaddon:** _Facepalms_

**Eldrad:** "Horus, what's the situation with your search?"

**Horus:** "We're a little sidetracked fixing my arms"

**Lorgar:** "And before that we got sidetracked even more saving Lion from Moogles"

**Eldrad:** "From **what?!?**"

**Lorgar:** "Moogles, you know, those unbearably cute bear things with the dangling pom-poms from _Final Fantasy_?"

**Eldrad:** "My Gods ... it's begun! The Legion of Cute!"

_Dorn, Perturabo and Corax also appear._

**Dorn:** "It's worse than that, Privateer Press are attempting a fluff takeover"

**Perturabo:** "They've sent their greatest warriors to teach us how to fight with balls, or something ..."

**Torgaddon:** "Wow ... think they're in denial over something?"

**Eldrad:** "When the official company slogan is 'Play like you've got a pair?' I think they have issues ..."

**Corax:** "That doesn't matter if we don't beat them! They have a better-written ruleset!"

**Horus:** "But we have a background made of awesome ... and win! While their's has villains colour-coded for ease of moral reference"

**Lion:** "But isn't that happening now? With the new HH stuff. The grey is disappearing, good and evil are becoming obvious and we're dressing to style ourselves with moral alignments ..."

**Eldrad:** "It is a dark hour for the dark millennium ... the insanity is being replaced by characters who demonstrate frightening sanity! It started with Gaunt - a **nice** Commissar - now it spread to the Astartes with ... kind Ultramarine Captains ..."

**Horus:** "Although to be fair the Ultramarines were always pansies ..."

**Eldrad:** "And now my people are being portrayed as child molesters more interested in fighting amongst ourselves than the Great Enemy!"

**Slaanesh:** "You called?"

**Eldrad:** "I was talking about Goto"

**Slaanesh:** "Oh damn him! It was fun when I was the only one your people hated ... it was kinda arou-"

**Lorgar: **"Quickly changing the subject-"

_Alpharius and Vulkan sign in._

**Alpharius:** "We've lost Rob!"

**Horus:** "Dammit! I told you to keep him in his baby harness!"

**Alpharius:** "he's a big boy now Horus, I thought I could trust him to **not** destroy the universe as we know it-"

**Dorn:** "Or screw up our Legions with his retarded rulesets ..."

**Alpharius:** "-but he stepped through a Monolith portal about an hour ago"

**Horus:** "WHAT?!? There's no telling where he is now!"

**Eldrad:** "I know ..."

**Horus:** "Oh of course you do ... you're a Farseer! Precognition and crap"

**Eldrad:** "He's with the Outsider ... it's not precognition, it's common sense. He's the only C'tan we haven't seen yet in this story ..."

**Alpharius:** "By the Gods ... Rob with the Outsider?!?!"

_There's silence ... _

**Horus:** "Man ... gotta feel sorry for that C'tan ..."

**Eldrad:** "Agreed. Let him stay there for a while and keep the mad god busy"

_Magnus, Ferrus and Leman appear._

**Eldrad:** "Ah, and how is everything?"

**Leman:** "Well, I've got a F****** AWESOME sword, Magnus found some Eldar _D&D_ supplements, and Ferrus has found himself the perfect bandwidth-"

**Ferrus:** "82Tbps!! Oh baby!!!"

**Magnus:** "And I have **so** hooked up with the perfect girl- smart, hot, loves the geeky stuff ... oh ... and is bi"

**Horus:** "Why you jammy little son of a-"

**WE INTERRUPT YOUR USUAL PROGRAMME TO BRING YOU THIS PERFECTLY HARMLESS COMMERCIAL RATED SUITABLE FOR ALL BY THE IMPERIAL BOARD OF FILM CLASSIFICATION:**

**Little Jimmy:** "Mummy, when I grow up, can I be a Space Marine?"

**Mummy:** "I don't know Little Jimmy, lets talk to Captain Uriel Ventris about being a Space Marine"

**Uriel Ventris:** "Well little Jimmy, when you're chosen by the Chapter you'll undergo thirty years of intensive psychoindoctrination, gene therapy, hypnosis, and cellular restructuring. 80% of Space Marine applications will die in their first five years, 15% suffer extreme side effects resulting in their immediate liquidation. Of the remaining 5% over half will die in their first decade of combat experience before the implantation of the final zygote, the Black Carapace, can be completed. For those lucky enough to survive, you will spend the rest of your life in endless warfare killing thousands of unworthy scum and xenos for the glory of the Emperor!"

**Little Jimmy:** "Wow Mr. Ventris! That sounds awesome! But ... will I see my mummy again?"

**Ventris:** "No, Little Jimmy, you won't"

**THE GALAXY IS A DANGEROUS PLACE, MAKE IT SAFER BY BLOWING **** UP!**  
**JOIN THE SPACE MARINES; TRAVEL TO NEW LOCATIONS, MEET NEW PEOPLE, KILL THEM ALL FOR THE GLORY OF THE EMPEROR!**

**WE NOW RETURN YOU TO YOUR NORMAL PROGRAMME:**

**Horus:** "-horse-loving teacup!"

**Torgaddon:** "... wow ... did I just miss something 'cause there was a commercial and-"

**Abaddon:** "Tarik ... shut up"

_Khan, Angron, and Konrad appear._

**Konrad:** "Guess who's just joined the party ..."

_Fulgrim, Sanguinius, and Mortarion appear._

**Fulgrim:** "Our WFB cousins are here ..."

**Eldrad:** "I know"

**Sangunius:** "What, but how?"

**Horus:** "He's a Farseer, he has precognition ..."

**Eldrad:** "Alas, I would love to claim my genius. But in this case-"

_He stands to one side, revealing a Elf sitting down idly drinking a cup of steaming chemicals of magical nature._

**Teclis:** "Greetings all. My friend Eldrad here tells me you need a little magical apocalypse?"

**Eldrad:** "We went to university together ... Saphery Scholarship in Warp-Spawned Armageddon ..."


	33. Chapter 33

_**Chapter Thirty-three**_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

We rejoin our heroes aboard the Vengeful Spirit III ...

**Horus:** "Teclis!!"

**Teclis:** "I do believe that's my name cough ... such a pleasure to meet the great cough again"

**Horus:** "You alright?"

**Teclis:** "A mild case of hack ... should clear up when the cough goes down wheez"

**Lorgar:** "So ... is he going to drop dead on us anytime soon? Because I don't want any Eldar fans writing in claiming we're no better than Gotto-"

**Eldrad:** "Do not speak the name of the Great Enemy!!"

**Slaanesh:** "Yes dear?"

**Eldrad:** "Oh shut up! You know I'm not talking about you!"

**Slaanesh:** "That's not what you said this morning in bed ..."

_Awkward silence ..._

**Horus:** "Lets pretend we didn't hear that and continue ... OK?"

**Eldrad:** "Please do"

**Fulgrim:** "Oh can't we talk about Eldrad's se-"

**Sanguinius:** "No. I have Malekith here, shall I sign him on?"

**Teclis:** "Lets hear what the cough Druchii has to say about wheez"

**Lion:** "Is he going to do that all the time because it's highly irritating"

**Teclis:** "Oh go kill some flower sellers you white-haired pretty boy!"

**Lion:** "I take offence from that. I'll have you know I am incredibly manly! I am a man's man! I have more testosterone than Rambo and Jack Baur combined! I'M MORE HARDCORE THAN CHUCK NORRIS!"

_Lion's image disappears in a flash of AWESOME LIGHT!!!_

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"NO ONE IS MORE HARDCORE THAN CHUCK NORRIS! PWNED FOR HERESY BEYOND DESCRIPTION! Right guys, carry on with the story. Me and Dragon here are just catching up on _Seinfield_ ..."

**Eldrad:** "Er ... yeah ... OK. Sanguinius, please sigh Malekith on"

_Malekith's image appears._

**Malekith:** "Greetings"

**Teclis:** "Look folks cough ... it's mummy's boy!"

_General laughter all round._

**Malekith:** "Ha ha ... very funny ... at least I'm getting some ... I hear you are searching for the Fish of Time?"

**Eldrad:** "That is correct. You know of the Fish?"

**Malekith:** "Who doesn't? The power to travel back in time to any point in the established canon! The wonders one could do! The damage you could inflict ... it's beyond measure!"

**Horus:** "Do you seek the Fish also?"

**Malekith:** "I seek my mother-"

_General sniggering all round._

**Malekith:** "Oh cut that out! How many of you can claim to be in a relationship?"

**Eldrad: **"Well ..."

**Magnus:** "Just started"

**Angron: **"She's perfect! Angry like me!"

**Lorgar:** "I have to finish this quest by five or I don't get my dinner; Lilith's very insistent ..."

**Abaddon:** "Tell me about it. I swear marriage was designed to inflict pain upon us men ..."

_Silence ..._

**Abaddon:** "What?"

**Horus:** "Who the hell married you?"

**Abaddon:** "Your biographer"

**Horus:** "_**Petronella?!?!**_ I **killed** her!"

**Abaddon:** "When's that ever stopped a journalist ... turns out she did a piece on the Von Carsteins before she accepted you as the subject of her next work"

**Horus:** "She's a **vampire**?!?!

**Abaddon:** "Apparently. That or she really likes to dress up in goth clothes and has allergies to garlic for coincidental reasons ..."

**Lorgar:** "Wow ... that explains the Black Crusades: you're trying to get away from her!"

**Abaddon:** "Not really ... they're just holidays ... men's break-style holidays ... just me and the lads ... burning the galaxy for the weekend ... you know"

**Lorgar:** "Know the feeling ..."

**Dorn:** "Wait ... so the crusades where just a release for your multiple mid-life crisis?"

**Abaddon:** "That's one way of putting it ..."

**Horus:** "So what's it like being married to a vampire?"

**Abaddon:** "Draining, she'll suck the life out of you ..."

**Horus:** "Ezekyle ... was that attempt at humour?"

**Torgaddon:** "I do believe I've just seen a flying pig!"

**Fulgrim:** "No, that's just Sanguinius"

_General laughter all round._

**Sanguinius:** "WHAT?!?!"

**Malekith:** "I'm glad someone else is the butt of all jokes ..."

**Horus:** "We'll be getting back to you later"

**Malekith:** "Oh joy ..."

**Eldrad:** "So to sum this sorry state of affairs ... has **anyone** found a key?"

**Konrad:** "We have ... and we found Carl"

**Horus:** "Oh how is he?"

**Konrad:** "Stoned"

**Horus:** "Figures ..."

**Eldrad:** "I won't bother asking if he could give us a hand then ... however Teclis is here, and with his help we've established the WRC. This should keep everyone up to speed-"

**Horus:** "Oh damn ... Konrad won the bet"

**Konrad:** "Oh yeah! Pay up folks! Pay the Night Haunter his due!"

**Perturabo:** "Bloody hell ... and I just spent all my money on a new Vindi Linebreaker squadron ..."

**Magnus:** "Well that'll teach you to spend all your money on plastic models ..."

**Abaddon:** "Wish I had money to spend on a hobby ... Ella keeps spending all of ours on new clothes ..."

**Horus:** "Who?"

**Abaddon:** "My vampire wife, do keep up"

**Horus:** "Sorry ..."

**Perturabo:** "Horus ... did you just apologise to your First Company Captain?"

**Abaddon:** "Hell yeah, and it was long overdue!"

**Horus:** "You won't be getting another one for the next ten thousand years ..."

**Abaddon:** "Oh they're worth it ... they're worth it ... hang on - I've got to call Ella and tell her what's happened ..."

**Horus:** "Oh for the love of ..."

**Eldrad:** "How many more chapters is this meeting going to devourer?"

**Magnus:** "With my brothers, do you really want to ask that?"

**Eldrad:** "I'll get comfortable ..."


	34. Chapter 34

_**Chapter Thirty-four**_

_"Dude ... what happened?" - Squat Lord post-3rd Ed_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - Rick Priestly's Laptop!!

**Lorgar:** "Wait ... what was that?"

_Hah! I knew someone was still reading the copypasta intro!_

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Well I didn't, and for making me look like a fool and scan backwards to see what the hell Lorgar was on about - REJECTED!"

_Massive burst of psychic energy consumes Lastie._

**Dorn:** "What happened?"

**Lorgar:** "Dad just destroyed the narrator again"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I was just looking for an excuse, I've been reading his posts over in the 40K Background forum! **YOU DARE BLASPHEME AGAINST ME?!?**"

_Ouch ... that hurt ... thank God for Author's Saving Throw (2+ We Get To Do Anything We Want Save) ..._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Meh. This isn't over! Not by a long shot! Watch your back ... for my sword is sharp and flamey and covered in cheese! My armour is gold and shiny ... very shiny ... which will hurt your eyes and guide my blade! Watch your-"_ The Emperor's voice trails away as his Golden Wheelchair is led away by Malcador the Sigilite ..._

**Lorgar:** "Oh thank the Gods for that ... right, shall we-" _The theme tune for _CSI: Miami_ plays from his pocket._ "-oh ... hold on guys ..." _He pulls out a mobile Warp-phone._

**Dorn: **"Neat ringtone ..."

**Lorgar:** "What? Oh hello dear ... erm ... can this wait? Food's getting cold? Well I'm sorry the quest's going on longer than I- ... OK dear ... what? Can we talk abou- ... OK dear ... the couch it is ..." _He hangs up and sighs._

**Dorn:** "So ... how's the whole 'godlike being of absolute power' working for you?"

**Lorgar:** "Apparently no-one at GW was married when they wrote, otherwise they would know of the absolute power of the wife ... can we hurry this up? I've already been banned to the couch for the next year ..."

_We strip away the pseudo-scene that has existed so far to reveal where we left our heroes last time - in the battle room of the _Vengeful Spirit III_ ..._

**Eldrad:** "Poor you ..."

**Lorgar:** "Hey - I don't think someone screwing Slaanesh has the right to comment about someone involved in a stable relationship"

**Eldrad:** "Very stable - it's obvious who wears the trousers in your pairing"

**Horus:** "Hen-pecked somewhat, Lorgar?"

**Lorgar:** "Hey! Quiet!"

**Abaddon:** _Ignoring the general laughter._ "We've touched down on Terra, the Necrons have arranged a welcome party"

**Horus:** "What manner of foul xenos-tech does it feature?"

**Abaddon:** "Apparently, according to Logan, some 'damn sweet ale and tasty cheese buiscuits ..."

**Horus:** "What?!?"

**Vulkan:** "So you were being **literal** when you said 'welcome party'?"

**Abaddon:** "Indeed. The foul Deceiver has pulled a fast one on us and trapped our forces in a spiral of alcohol and rock music!"

**Horus:** "But ... we don't have Armour Saves against Nirvana!"

**Abaddon:** "Indeed. I fear the Siege of Terra has failed before it has even begun!"

**Eldrad:** "This is sad news indeed ... Taldeer ... I need speak to Yriel ..."

**Taldeer:** "Of course sir"

_She mutters something, then Uriel Ventris appears._

**Uriel:** "Hello? Anything I can do for you guys? Can we make this short? Graham McNeil wants me back for my new book ..."

**Eldrad:** "Taldeer, have you still got shrapnel embedded in your ears? I asked for **Yriel**, not **Uriel**!"

**Taldeer:** "Oh ... him ... sorry ... " __

She mutters something else, and Uriel Ventris disappears to be replaced by everyone's favourite Eldar pirate.

**Yriel:** "Hey! Eldrad! **Dude!** Long time no see!"

**Eldrad:** "I wonder why ... look, I wouldn't call you and suffer your annying Path-free attitude to life without a reason: the Siege of Terra has faltered due to the Deceiver's use of 'alternative measures'. We need someone who can enjoy drink, drugs and rock and roll without forgetting the mission"

**Yriel:** "That's me! I'm your man!"

**Eldrad:** "I know ... unfortunately ... look go slap those Imperials back onto track for us, please?"

**Yriel:** "Sure, mind if I take a few friends for help? They got written out of the new Eldar Codex, so they're feeling kinda down at the moment"

**Eldrad:** "Sure ... whatever"

**Yriel:** "Cheers man!"

_Yriel disappears._

**Eldrad:** "Right, that's that problem hopefully sorted. Vulkan and Alpharius - continue your search for the Key. Roboute Guilliman can endure the hospitality of the Necrontyr until we obtain the powers of the Fish of Time"

**Vulkan:** "I'm sure he'll be disappointed to miss out on the action"

**Alpharius:** "With any luck Rob and the Outsider will destroy each other in a clash of insanities ..."

**Dorn:** "We can but hope ..."

**Eldrad:** "Dorn, you Perturabo and Corax must defeat these infiltrators from WARMACHINE and obtain the key, are you up to this task?"

**Perturabo:** "I was born ready. We'll show those 'plastic is for wimps' idiots who's boss!"

**Eldrad:** "Excellent. The rest of you know what to do-"

**Horus:** "Excuse me. Not to sound ungrateful ... but **WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE XENOS TO ORDER US PRIMARCHS?!?!**"

**Eldrad:** "The guy who knows what you did last summer"

**Horus:** "You mean with the ... in the ... with ... involving ... and custard?"

**Eldrad**: _Nods._

**Horus:** "OK guys ... you heard the xenos! Roll out! Primarch-style!"

**Dorn:** "Insert pumped-up team cry here"

**Horus:** "Indeed"

_The images quickly all vanish, except for Abaddon._

**Abaddon:** "One quick question. Is the Fish of Time real?"

**Eldrad:** "Oh he is. The Emperor refuses to believe in him because it means there's an entity more powerful than he. It's an ego thing I believe ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I HEARD THAT! REJECTED!!!"

_Nothing happens._

**Eldrad:** "Excellent. I passed my Author's Saving Throw"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"For the love of ...!"

_Sucks ... doesn't it?_

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Oh ... it's **on!**"

**Eldrad:** "You two take it outside. I've got vast amounts of plotting to do"

**Abaddon:** "So we could actually do this? Travel back in time and defeat the C'tan?"

**Eldrad:** "Indeed"

**Abaddon:** "Very well. I will do my part"

_Abaddon disappears._

**Torgaddon:** "Far be it for me to point something out, considering I'm supposed to be the comic relief here ... but wouldn't destroying the C'tan before the War in Heaven result in a change of the timeline, probably preventing the Imperium of Man from existing?"

**Eldrad:** _Smiles ..._

**Torgaddon:** "Because if the War in Heaven never existed .. then the Old Ones will still be around ... and the Eldar ... oh dear"

**Eldrad:** "Taldeer?"

**Taldeer:** "PMT-POWERED PSYCHIC ELDRITCH BLAST!!!"

_Torgaddon dissolves in an aura of psychic energy._

**Eldrad:** "Indeed. The Eldar Empire will not fall, the Imperium of Man will not exist, and Chaos will be a small echo in the Warp. Everyone wins ... well ... just us Eldar I suppose ..."

**Taldeer:** "Phase 2?"

**Eldrad:** "Phase 2"

**Taldeer:** "Shall I get the cheese and crackers to celebrate?"

**Eldrad:** "Yes ... I do fancy some cheese right now"


	35. Chapter 35

_**Chapter Thirty-five**_

_"No one truly hates Blood Angels, even the modest hardened anti-BA fan will admit that Mephiston is teh awesomeness" - AnonAfter ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

With Torgaddon's death Eldrad's horrifying ... ah who am I kidding I love Eldar - Eldrad's AWESOME plan to erase the Imperium from histroy continues. Blissfully ignorant of the huge temporal blunder they are striving to create, our heroes continue their quest for the six Keys of Carl. Having been saved from unpleasant (but quite probably pleasurable) death at the hands of the Keeper of Secrets, Fulgrim, Sanguinius and Mortarion confront their saviour - the Witch King Malekith!

**Malekith:** "I dislike that term, I prefer 'Self-appointed General Chief Manager of All Affairs', the PR department assure me it will sound less threatening"

**Sanguinius:** "And you want to sound less threatening **because**?"

**Malekith:** "Since a general survey discovered that operating an entire nation on the principle of selfish greed and piratical raiding cannot sustain both the population and an ever-present state of war with our neighbouring country of Ulthuan. Simply put, we needed to conduct trade with our neighbours to ensure future financial and economic survival"

**Fulgrim:** "Wait ... so you want to become **civilised?**"

**Malekith:** "Well ... that would be **a** term for it ... yes"

**Sanguinius:** "You do realise that rules out incest in most definitions of the term 'civilised'?"

**Malekith:** _Pauses for thought._ "We'll be a **free-thinking** civilised country"

**Sanguinius:** "You're hopeless, **get a girlfriend**"

**Fulgrim:** "Let me guess - no one will ever be as good as mother?"

**Sanguinius:** _Out of the corner of his mouth._ "In bed"

**Malekith:** "It's not that, she keeps killing all the girls I date ..."

**Sanguinius:** "What to do when your **mother's** your psycho clingy girlfriend who won't let you dump her ..."

**Malekith:** "I don't know what to do!"

**Fulgrim:** "And yet you're here looking for her?"

**Malekith:** "I **have** to tell her it's over between us. I have to stand up for myself!"

**Sanguinius:** "Indeed! Well spoken! A fine statement to make! And I-" _He claps Malekith on a shoulder._ "-Primarch Sanguinius of the Blood Angels Legion shall endeaver to assist you in this quest!"

**Fulgrim:** "Being the expert on relationships that you are"

**Sanguinius:** "Never a woman that I met that could resist my charms, and never a woman that didn't resist that I couldn't throw away with ease"

**Fulgrim:** "The amount of double-negatives in that last sentence was disturbing"

**Sanguinius:** "The chicks dig my way with words"

**Malekith:** "Thank you! What's the first step?"

_Sanguinius places an arm around Malekith._

**Sanguinius: **"First we need to work on a backbone ... Mortarion! Step forward!"

**Mortarion:** "What? Me?"

**Sanguinius:** _Looking around._ "I don't think anyone else in this galaxy is called Mortarion. Heroes get unique names after all ..."

**Mortarion:** "Lets test that, shall we?" _He turns around and walks over to the window of the small hotel room our heroes are camping in (did I mention that before? Well I am now). Leaning out the window he calls to the orgy in the street below._ "Sorry to interrupt, but would those called Mortarion please raise their hand ... or tentacle?"

_A thousand individuals raise all manner of limbs._

**Sanguinius:** "**YOU ALL HAD CRUEL PARENTS! GET SOME THERAPY!**"

**Mortarion:** _Smiles smugly_.

**Sanguinius:** "All right, point made. Right, stand in front of Malekith. You're Morathi for the present"

**Mortarion:** "I don't have to have sex with him, right?"

**Malekith:** _Cringes._

**Sanguinius:** _Sighs._ "No Mort, you don't need to have sex with him. Just stand there and don't say anything I don't tell you to say"

**Fulgrim:** "Dude, cut it out with the double negatives. It's not perfect grammar"

**Sanguinius:** "I **apologise** oh He Who Must Have Everything Perfect"

**Fulgrim:** "And sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. That's not per-"

**Sanguinius:** "Oh do be quiet! The love guru's in work"

**Fulgrim:** "Not as good as Vect"

**Sanguinius:** "I'll pretend I didn't hear that. I may treat women as nothing more than something to make me look better, but I still have **standards** brother. All the girls I take to bed have said yes beforehand, which is more I can say for Vect's choices of ... 'entertainment' ..."

**Fulgrim:** "You have 'standards'?"

**Sanguinius:** "Name a female character from any BL book - any of them"

**Fulgrim:** "What? **All **of them?"

**Sanguinius:** "Except the ugly ones"

**Fulgrim:** "Oh ... well that's all right then ... I've told you, I've told all of us - I'm not having any brother of mine marrying an ugly bird. They all have to be per-"

**Sanguinius:** "Perfect. We know. That's why most of us haven't married. That, and most women just can't handle us"

**Mortarion:** "Lorgar's married"

**Sanguinius:** "To a Dark Eldar Wych. Look how that's turned out. She keeps him on a leash so tight it's amazing he even gets the luxury of independent thought"

**Mortarion:** "I think you're just afraid to comit"

**Sanguinius:** "I am **not** afraid to comit! I am not!" _Mortarion rolls his eyes._ "All right! To prove to you how **not** afraid I am to comit, I shall find a good woman for myself and marry her!"

**Mortarion:** "What? Now?"

**Sanguinius:** "Yes! Now!"

_Mortarion points to the two Daemonettes. _

**Sanguinius:** "Why not? You there"

**Ev'rii:** "Who? Me? I'm sorry ... I like you ... you're sexy and all that ... but Mort's s ... so ... _in touch with his emotions_"

**Sanguinius:** "What? Oh ... OK ... how about you?"

**Ka'ndii:** "Sorry, I prefer handsome over there" _She points at Fulgrim, who smiles smugly._

**Sanguinius:** "This seriously isn't helping my case ... fine then. Know anyone Malekith?"

**Malekith:** "Well ..."

_The doors burst open, and two lithe Elven women spiral through, swords in hand._

**Naestra: **"Malekith! We've found you!"

**Arahan:** "Prepare to face judgement!"

**Naestra:** "For the sins you've commited!"

**Arahan:** "Against the forest!"

**Malekith:** "... them?"

**Sanguinius:** "Excellent! I'll take both!"

**Mephiston:** "Let us share them equally my Lord!"_All turn to regard the new speaker, standing on the balcony radiating sheer AWESOMENESS and vast amounts of WIN. Sheer energy crackles off of him, and none who gaze upon his perfect form can doubt how EPIC this guy is-_

**Fulgrim:** "All right, that's enough descriptive text. What are you, in love with this guy or something?"

_I just think Mephiston's an awesome character ... wish Ahriman was as good as him ... sniff_

**Fulgrim:** _Rolls his eyes._

**Sanguinius:** "So you are the one called Mephiston - Lord of Death! Nice name"

**Mephiston:** "Thank you my Lord!"

**Sanguinius:** "Nicer stats ... bloody hell you're practically a Primarch!"

**Mephiston:** "'tis but a mere White Dwarf Chapter Approved article ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Screw that - finally someone I can consider an equal!"

**Naestra & Arahan: **_Clear their throats simultaneously._

**Sanguinius:** "So which one? The blonde, or the brunette?"

**Mephiston:** "Well ..."

**Naestra:** "No one is taking us anywhere!"

**Arahan:** "Unless they're cute ..."

**Naestra:** "What?"

**Arahan:** "Well ..."

**Naestra:** "Sister ... we agreed that the mission takes priority ..."

**Arahan:** "Screw the mission - I've haven't got laid in **ages**!"

**Naestra:** "Sister ..."

**Sanguinius:** "You heard the lady! Glad I rented that extra room ..."

**Malekith:** "What about my problem?"

**Sanguinius: **"Screw your problems - I'm getting some!" _Wraps an arm around Arahan. _"So ... from WFB as well?"

**Arahan:** "Wood Elf"

**Sanguinius:** "The fiesty kind ... I **like** that ..."

_They wander off, leaving the rest in a state of mild amusement. Except Malekith._

**Malekith:** "The winged ****** ..."

**Mortarion:** "Yeah ... he did that to my girlfriends as well ..."

**Fulgrim:** "That probably explains your mental state ... but you've got her-" _He nods at Ev'rii_. "-now, so cheer up emo kid"

**Mortarion:** "Yeah ... happiness ... "

**Naestra:** "Whatever - Malekith! By the will of Ariel I shall-"

**Mephiston:** "_Transfixing Gaze_ ... that's not a good idea, my dear ..."

**Naestra:** _Transfixed_. "That's ... not ... a good ... idea"

**Mephiston:** "Let us retire to another room"

**Naestra:** "Yes ... lets"

_Mephiston guides her away out of the room ..._

**Fulgrim:** "Now that's from the **Asdrubael Vect** school of seduction ..."

**Malekith:** "Think I prefer that kind"

**Fulgrim:** "You would"


	36. Chapter 36

_**Chapter Thirty-six**_

_"The Eldar Shuriken Catapult is the most advanced personal firearms in the galaxy; shorter range than the Boltgun, less reliable than the Shoota, not as flexible as the Fleshborer, and with less armour penetration than the Gauss Flayer, the Shuriken Catapult is superior to all those. Why? Because it's __**Eldar - **__stop arguing!" - Random Autarch_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_As our heroes enjoy the hospitality of Fabius Bile, trip out with a long-lost brother, take over a Tau outpost using nothing but a toothpick, stall the Nightbringer with the endless argument of Intel versus AMD, and take a breather on a Daemonworld, three Primarchs step into the arena to fight for their gaming system ..._

_The arena is vast, and full of screaming Orks waving foam hands and banners declaring their allegiance to their Warboss - Garlock the Awesome._

**Corax:** "So ... ideas?"

**Perturabo:** "We beat the ****ing crap out of them"

**Dorn:** "Elegant, Pert, elegant"

**Perturabo:** "You've got a better idea Lord Banana?"

**Dorn:** "Lets see who we're up against, Caine mentioned the Butcher and Karchev ..."

**Corax:** "That must be ... erm ... how **big** was Karchev?"

_In the distance a giant, hulking figure walks out of the immense gates leading to the vast caverns beneath the arena (the area's quite large, by the way). Beside him a smaller, yet equally imposing figure walks carrying an axe as large as some Dreadnoughts, while on the opposite side a clunking behemoth of metal hisses green smoke and oozes slime out of every joint._

**Perturabo:** "Oh ... ****"

**Dorn:** "Someone's had upgrades ..."

_The tallest figure comes to a stop before the Primarchs. He dwarfs even the immense bulk of the Daemon Perturabo, who's armour is made from bits of Warhound Titans wielded together using Daemonic arts. _

**Karchev the Mildly Imposing:** "So ... these are the champions of the Dark Millennium? Pathetic. I've seen more balls on a cheerleader squad!"

**Dorn:** "Must have been the wrong kind of cheerleaders then"

**Butcher of Cute Fluffy Animals:** "Is that an insult? Say it like you've got a pair!"

**Perturabo:** "Why? What makes you think you're worth it?"

**Liche Lord Terminus Cancer:** "Becaussssse we have ballssssss"

**Corax:** "You guys seem to be somewhat obsessed with certain parts of the male anatomy ... is there something you want to talk about? Getting in touch with your emotions is the first step on the road to recovery, I feel"

_Karchev slaps Corax away with a simple flick of his giant mechanical wrist. _

**Karchev:** "Quiet! You lack balls pathetic creature"

**Dorn:** "Corax! You OK?"

**Corax:** "Jesus ... it's like getting bitch-slapped by an Warlord Titan! I'll be fine ..."

_A cheer arises as Garlock takes the seat in his podium._

**Garlock:** "Before ya stan der best champeons of both worlds! Only one is good enuff to fight me! Let the battle komence!"

**Karchev:** _Flexes his mechanical muscles._ "You heard the man - fight like you've got a pair!"

**Perturabo:** "Enough with the testicular references already! It's just a table-top wargame, not a comparison of manliness!"

_Karchev punches Perturabo in the stomach, sending the Primarch flying backwards vomting copius amounts of bile and gore in his passage._

**Perturabo:** "Crap ... knew I shouldn't have eaten those Squigs before the match ..."

_The Butcher leans forwards and bull rushes Dorn, sending him flying backwards. As he struggles to pick himself up (it's not easy in Artificer Armour!) the Butcher raises his immense axe._

**Butcher: **"Meet Lola!"

**Dorn:** "Wha ... hi!"

_The axe comes crashing down._

**Corax:** "DORN!" _He's picked up by Terminus and beaten repeatedly into the ground. _

**Terminus:** "Repeat after me: I - WILL - FEATURE - IN - A - GAME - WITH - DECENT - WRITTEN - RULES - AND - WHERE - I - NEVER - NEED - ROLL - MORE - THAN - TWO - DICE - AT - ANY - ONE - TIME!"

_He slams Corax into the ground one final time, and the Primarch's body goes limp._

**Terminus:** "Well that was surprisingly easy ... need a hand Karchev?"

**Kerchev:** _Pumeling Perturabo with repeated blows with his great metal fists. _"Stay out of this Cryx scum! We only took you along because you're big and ugly! This battle's now in Khador hands!"

**Terminus:** "Suit yourself ... what?"

_He spins around in amazement to see Corax picking himself off the ground._

**Terminus:** "You're still **alive??!?**"

**Corax:** "I told dad ... I would find the key ... I can go back ... fix my mistakes ... be able to stare my sons in the eyes again ... I can't lose this battle ... not now ... not ever ... **LOSE? NEVERMORE!!!**"

_He screams and flings himself at Terminus who creates a huge magical shield to protect himself. Corax smashes a fist into the shield. Psychic energy crackles and tendrils of warp-stuff lash out._

**Corax:** "We may reduce all tactics into who can roll more dice, we may have rules that require extensive fan-made FAQs to patch up to working condition, and we may have models more expensive than collecting koi fish! But you know what? **IT'S OUR HOBBY, SO SCREW YOU!**"

_The energy bursts and a bright light consumes both Primarch and Liche Lord. When it disappears Corax stands behind Terminus, as the Liche Lord stares down at a massive hole blasted straight through him._

**Terminus:** splutter

**Garlock:** "What's the power-reading Grotmina?"

**Grotmina:** _He pokes a strange device, then crushes it._ "**IT'S OVER NINE THOUSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAAANND!**"

**Garlock:** "Nine thaasand? Bloody 'ell!"

**Corax:** _Flexes his muscles._ "Right, who's next?"

**Perturabo:** "No worries, got this one" _Extends one metal fist and punches through the armour plating of Karchev to reach in and grab the wounded soldier within the giant metal shell. _"So there you are. Like a giant Dreadnought really, aren't you?"

**Karchev:** "What? But I was winning!"

**Perturabo:** "And now you're not. Suck it up. Lose like you've got a pair" _He squeezes his fist and crushes the squishy little Human. _"Only Toughness 2 ..."

_Oblivious to the defeat of his comrades, the Butcher continues to hack away at Dorn. _

**Butcher:** "I'm a butcher and I'm O-K, I work all night and I work all day ..."

**Dorn:** _Standing beside the Butcher. _"Can I give you a hand?"

**Butcher:** "Sure ... what?!?!"

**Dorn:** _Swings his Thunder Hammer in the Butcher's face, sending him flying thousands of feet into the air._ "Fore!! I've always wanted to say that" _He looks down at the mushed remains of the clone. _"Handy"

**Corax: **"So that's not you?"

**Dorn:** "Nope. A little something I knocked up with spare bits of armour, some sticky-back plastic, cardboard, and a Squig"

**Perturabo:** "Wow ... can you teach me how to do that?"

**Dorn:** _Stares at his brother for a moment. _"Sure ... I can do that"

**Garlock:** "Apologies for interrupting this touching sibling moment, but the final battle is to commence!"

**Corax:** "What?!?! Don't we get half-time or something?"

**Garlock:** _Jumps down to the centre of the arena and casts off the cloak he was wearing to reveal a huge mega armour bionik body. _"Nah! You guys were good fighin, and I thinks to meself I wanna piece of that action!"

**Perturabo: **_Calls his Daemon Weapon to his side._ "Fair enough, bring it on Greenie!"

_Somewhere many miles away ... a lone figure finally falls back to earth ..._


	37. Chapter 37

_**Chapter Thirty-seven**_

_"Looks like I'm Queen Bitch of this Assault Phase" - Kerrigan, after a display of Tyrand/Zerg-fuelled close combat nastiness_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

Taking up where we left our heroes last time ...

**Corax:** "Seriously ... a breather? A light snack? A high-energy and low-calorie drink? At least let me have a Pepsi!"

**Garlock:** "Na produk plasement in ma arena! Besydes ... real men drink cola!"

**Corax:** "But the Spice Girls love Pepsi ..."

**Dorn:** "Oh for the love of ..."

**Perturabo:** "Who the **hell** are we loving here? The number of times we've started to say that and then finish early ..."

**Dorn:** "Like that?"

**Perturabo:** "Like what?"

**Dorn:** "Don't think I didn't notice the trailing dots in that last comment"

**Perturabo:** "You can **hear** trailing dots now? Oh for the love of ... **this** is why dad loved you more!"

**Dorn:** "**WHAT?!?!** Is that why you followed Horus? Because you thought dad loved me better?"

**Perturabo:** "Damn straight he did. He gave you all the best fortresses to smash down. What did I get? A LEGO castle the last Christmas before the Heresy ..."

**Dorn:** "He gave **you** the castle? The bastard!"

**Corax:** "Wait ... you guys got presents? I never got any ..."

**Perturabo:** "And you're still Loyalist? You sad little ..."

**Dorn:** "Stop trailing off before you've finished the sentence! Right, from here on out we're going to finish what we started, OK?"

**Perturabo:** "Damn straight we will" _Rushes forward and lands a mighty fist in Dorn's face. _

**Corax:** "What? We're fighting amongst ourselves? **WHAT ABOUT THE FRACKING ORK WARBOSS?!?!**"

**Garlock:** "Yeah ... what abot me?"

**Corax:** "Hold on one moment Mr. Garlock ..." _Jumps up and dive-bombs both Primarchs_. "**YOU GOT PRESENTS!! I HATE YOU BOTH!!!**"

_The struggle escalates to outright fist-fighting as the mighty beings slug it out in the arena. Dorn and Corax inevitably gang up on the much larger Daemon Primarch and use No Retreat! to their advantage._

**Garlock:** _Raises a hand meekly._ "Erm ... excuse me?"

_No answer, except for the unceasing barrage of words from the Primarchs to each other that I cannot print in this family-orientated forum. _

_**Eldrad:**__ "PM him for the full details"_

No ... don't. And get the hell out of this scene Eldrad! You're not up again for a while!

_**Eldrad:**__ "I know ... I just thought I could do something while I'm off screen ... can I narrate for a bit?"_

... yeah alright ...

_**Eldrad:**__ "Awesome! Ahem ... anyway ... Garlock folds his arms and impatiently taps a huge mega-armoured foot while the three brothers settle their disputes in true sibling fashion - mass bundle!"_

**Garlock:** "Reminds me of me an ma bruthers ... back when I ad bruthers ... before I ate em ..."

**Grotmina:** "I remember that sir ... nice chaps they were ... always good to Grotmina ..."

**Garlock:** _Throws the Gaze of Gork at Grotmina, who cowers._

**Grotmina:** "Not that master isn't good to Grotmina ... Grotmina still has all his limbs attached ... and for that Grotmina is eternally grateful ... Grotmina just mentioned master's brothers to make master look even more GAR"

**Garlock:** "Damn straight ... never forget!"

**Corax:** "HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EXTRA HEAVY SUPPORT CHOICE NOW PERT? WHEN I'M SHOVING IT DOWN YOUR THROAT ... HOW DO YOU LIKE IT NOW? WANT SOME OBLITERATORS TO WASH IT DOWN?!?!"

**Garlock:** "How the ell is that possible?"

**Grotmina:** "If Grotmina was not witnessing it with his own eyes, Grotmina would believe it impossible ..."

**Garlock:** "Interesting use of a servo-arm there by Dorn ..."

**Grotmina:** "Grotmina is now clutching his important bits in pain master ..."

_**Eldrad:**__ "Meanwhile, above the Endless Hells of Kith ..."_

**Angron:** "Welcome back brothers!"

_He runs forwards and embraces Konrad and Khan._

**Konrad:** "It's good to see you too brother, but I should point out that perhaps greeting us with nothing on was not the image we wanted to see upon our return"

**Angron:** "Oh ... good point ... sorry ... me and Sarah were just-"

**Konrad:** "**Seriously **don't want to know ... at all ... under any circumstances ... please don't mention it again ..."

**Khan:** "I have a question ... your present form was a gift from Khorne was it not?"  
**  
Angron:** "Yup. Got the receipt somewhere ..."

**Khan:** "And Khorne's the God of War, Rage, Murder, Blood, and Martial Prowess and Honour ... yes?"

**Angron:** "Mostly he's the God of Blood and Mindless Rage these days ... but he likes to think he hasn't lost any of his old charms ..."

**Khan:** "OK ... so your body would naturally be suited to waging war ... yes?"

**Angron:** "Yeah ... what, did you think these arms and muscles were for show?"

**Khan:** "I did not. I merely want to know why he would see fit to give you ... so many ... erm ..."

**Konrad:** "I have a theory ..."

**Slaanesh:** "Khorne dear ... did I lend you my copy of _Legend of the Overfiend_?"

**Khorne:** "Yeah ... ten thousand years ago ... have you just realised you've not got it?"

**Slaanesh:** "Well my hentai collection is rather large ..."

**Khorne:** "Understatement of the millennia ..."

**Slaanesh:** "Well I'll have it back thank you ... did you enjoy it? I don't really have much in my collection with enough blood to keep you awake; I know your attention is short, dear"

**Khorne:** "It gave me ... ideas ..."

**Angron:** "Wow ... that explains why my socks kept exploding ..."

**Konrad:** "I don't think I want to know ... anyway ... changing the subject-"

**Khan:** "Thank God - I mean the Emperor"

**Konrad:** "We have the key!!"

**Angron:** "Excellent! The Key of Battle! Ours! This requires celebrating!"

**Konrad:** "Did that already. I've smoked enough weed to kill a university campus ... we need to get moving. My sixth sense is telling me something bad's up ..."

_**Eldrad:**__ "Like he has any hint of decent precognitive abilities ... peh ... newb"_

**Konrad:** "What?"

**Khan:** "Ignore the Narrator ... Angron - put some clothes on and meet us on the bridge. We're setting course for the Gates of Varl. We'll wait for our brothers there"

**Angron:** "Do you think they'll make it?"

**Khan:** "Oh they'll make it ... otherwise I'll hunt them all down and shove power spears so far up their arses they'll spit lightning for months!"

**Angron:** "Eek ..."

**Konrad:** "What? Has getting laid turned you into a wimp! MOVE IT PRIMARCH!"

**Magnus:** "NO! YOU ARE NOT SHARING MY GIRLFRIEND!"

**Russ:** "Wanna stop me book worm?"

**Ferrus:** "You haven't played much RPGs have you Russ?"

**Russ:** "What? What the hell are you talking about you gaming geek?"

**Ferrus:** "Stand RPG fact; while the wizard class is weak for the first ten or so levels, they soon come to discard the fighter classes that they previously relied upon to serve as meatshields, because frankly ... wizards are **broken**"

**Russ:** "So what? Magnus could beat me? How's the back, boy? Still hurts?"

**Magnus:** "You're right Russ ... I could never beat you ... in anything ... with the girls ... with being 'cool' ... in sports ... hell, not even with dad. He never took me to the pub on friday evenings ..."

**Russ:** "Because you couldn't handle your drink!"

**Magnus:** "So I vomited once on the Golden Throne ... he didn't have to send you to Prospero and blow it up ..."

**Russ:** "Meh ... it was good practice ..."

**Magnus:** "But you know what? I forgive you brother ..."

**Russ:** "Yeah you ... what?!?"

**Magnus:** _Opens his arms._ "I've come to terms with who I am, and who you are ... I have no hard feelings anymore Russ ... I know you were only jealous of me ..."

**Russ:** "Me ... jealous of **you??!**" _He opens his mouth to hurl abuse, but then closes it as his face crinkles up. _"Yeah .. maybe a little ... I can't read very well ... and you do it so easily ... you're smart ... our brothers always told me out stupid I was ... damn you Magnus ... damn you ... I love you brother!"

_**Eldrad:**__ "Russ steps forwards and embraces Magnus in a huge bear hug. The two Primarchs stand in silence, pent-up emotions finally let lose. And understanding reached ... an emotional moment that I'm sure will get the ratings up and the awards flooding in"_

**Nightbringer:** "What a load of complete sentimental **********!**"

**Ferrus:** "I forgot he was still around ..."

**Russ:** _Breaking away from Magnus._"Time we kicked his ass once and for all! Ready brothers?"

**Ferrus:** "Hang on ... OK it's torrenting ... right lets get to it!"

**Magnus:** "Fred, take cover. We're going all-out, and it won't be pretty. The best damn close combat Primarch going, with the best damn engineer in the Imperium-"

**Russ:** "With the best damn witchcraft-user in the Warp!"

_**Eldrad:**__ "The brothers stand as a united front! No one can stand before them!"_

**Nightbringer:** "I'm about to hurl ... what the hell do I vomit anyway? Life essence? What does that look like?"

**Ferrus:** "Will probably still have carrot chunks in it - BROTHERS! LET'S KICK SOME C'TAN BUTT!"

**Fred:** _Running with the other tech-priests. _"OK guys - you know the size of Apocalypse templates! Don't bother with cover - it's Destroyer!"

**Nightbringer:** "PRIMARCHS! DIE HERE UPON THIS ALTER OF DEATH! YOUR SOULS ARE MINE TO FEAST ON ... with some jam and hot coco ..."

_**Eldrad:**__ "As our Primarchs charge forwards to an EPIC BATTLE of possible AWESOME and probable WIN ... I'll drop the end of the chapter here and create a ... 'cliffhanger'? Where's the cliff? Why are we hanging off of it? These stupid Human expressions ..."_


	38. Chapter 38

_**Chapter Thirty-eight**_

_"What? I needed a replacement! What do you mean 'improper use of military equipment'?!?" - Slaanesh, after being caught with a Vibrocannon_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_Continuing where we left off ..._

**Mortarion:** _Begins struming his guitar. _"Because everybody **hurts!** Sometimes ... everybody **cries!**"

_Erm ... not there ..._

**Nightbringer:** "Have you finished getting all sentimental? Or do you need a room to get in touch with your feelings?"

**Magnus:** "As much as the fangirls might squee over that, no thanks. Russ isn't my type"

**Russ:** "Aye, and the same to you. No offence. I prefer my meat with a fine pair and gorgeous eyes that light up when she-"

**Fred:** _Calling from the other side of the plaza._ "THAT'S **SO **SEXIST!"

**Russ:** "QUIET WOMAN! THE GENETICALLY-ENGINEERED MEN ARE FIGHTING!"

**Nightbringer:** "Then lets **fight** and **stop talking!**"

_The God glides forward and sweeps his scythe, slicing through Magnus' staff as Russ pulls him out the way just in time._

**Russ:** "He ignores all Saves remember?"

**Magnus:** "What? Of course! Dammit - Force Barrier doesn't work!"

**Russ:** "Where did you get that?"

**Magnus:** "Codex: Dark Angels ... what? So I stole any psychic power I could find before we left, so sue me"

**Ferrus:** "Don't worry guys - we've got higher Initiative!"

**Russ:** "But if we don't hurt him first he'll hurt us for a whole kraken-load"

**Magnus:** "What's his strength?"

**Ferrus:** "Should be 10, but that's the old Codex"

**Magnus:** "Old?"

**Nightbringer:** "Not heard? We've got a shiny new Codex - curtesy of Mr. Thorpe"

**Russ:** "Did he just say-?"

**Magnus:** "Indeed. We've got Thorpe Cheese on our hands here. Ferrus - I don't have that Codex!"

**Ferrus:** "What are you suggesting?"

**Magnus:** "You know where to go! Find me a copy! NOW!"

_Author's Note: Remember kiddies; these are fictional characters. In real life stealing Codices is __**bad**__. Now we've got that established ..._

**Ferrus:** _Frantically searching the torrent listings on several sites. _"Dammit ... too few seeds ... it'll take thirty minutes!"

**Magnus:** "Alright Russ, you heard the man!"

**Russ:** "Ferrus; you owe me **so** much porn for this!"

**Ferrus:** "I know, I know. Torrenting **that** too ..."

**Nightbringer:** "Weakling fools ... WITNESS THE POWER OF CODEX CREEP!!"

_He extends his scythe and unleashes a massive bolt of energy that barely misses Russ to explode behind him, erupting in a pillar of lightning that annihilates the buildings within. _

**Magnus:** "Fred!"

**Fred:** _Calling from the building beside. _"We're still alive!"

**Russ:** "What the hell?!? When did he get a pie plate attack?!?!"

**Nightbringer:** "That's not all I can do!"

_The scythe extends again, and arcs of lighting shoot everywhere, hitting all the Primarchs and destroying several buildings. _

**Russ:** "THAT WAS FIFTEEN SHOTS! JESUS CHRIST THE THING HAS A VULCAN MEGA-BOLTER IN HIS ARM!!"

**Magnus:** "From the pain, I'd say Strength 6 as well ..." _Feels his ribs. _"AP ... 4 ... no 3 ... **crap** that hurt ..."

**Nightbringer:** "Weakling fools! Feel the power of the C'tan!"

**Russ:** "I bet that's what you say to all the ladies-"

**Magnus:** "-and they probably bitch-slap you afterwards for it ..."

**Ferrus:** "Fifteen minutes! I've got a new seed and he's got good upload ..."

**Magnus: **"Right, time to switch gaming systems ..." _Reaches into his many pouches and pulls out a copy of the _D&D Epic Level Handbook_. _"Tenth level spells here we go ... here's a little something I wrote up the other day - CATACLYSM OF ABNETT!"

_Lightning shoots everywhere, heralding the descent of a giant hand which points at the Nightbringer. A deep voices delcares:_

**Abnett:** "I choose **you** as my 'Shock Death of This Book'!"

**Nightbringer:** "What? Piss off bitch - I'm the fracking **Nightbringer**!"

_Mighty energies cascade between the Power of Author and the Power of Cheese, however Abnett's might is no match for the Nightbringer, and the hand explodes._

**Abnett:** "Oh feth ..."

**Russ:** "Need more Magnus!"

**Magnus:** "Then I quicken-cast ASSAULT OF D20s!!"

_Thousands of D20s descend from the sky, when the last one stops rolling, Magnus points at the Nightbringer._

**Magnus: **"You take **that** much damage!"

**Nightbringer:** "What?!?! How the hell and I supposed to total all these dice?"

**Magnus:** "Not my problem mate. Tell me when you're finished"

**Russ:** "Nice one, that bought us some time!"

**Nightbringer:** _Pulls out a small PDU. _"4,567 D20s right? Hmm ... 52,678 damage ... minus 20,000 damage reduction ... apply 82,000 Fast Healing and 10,000,000 Regeneration ... sorry what did you do again?"

**Magnus:** "Holy cow - he's cheesier than Pun-Pun!"

**Nightbringer:** "Not yet ... so ... my turn I believe?"

_Points his scythe ..._

**Nightbringer: **"WRATH OF HAINES! DESTROY MY ENEMIES!"

_A spectral figure appears from the scythe ... and drifts towards Magnus._

**Pete Haines:** "You're not Iron Warriors ... PREPARE FOR THE NERFHAMMER!"

**Ferrus:** "NOT SO FAST! GOLDEN THRONE SARCASM!"

_Spinning his laptop around, the vicious sarcasm from the Golden Throne webcomic pours out and devours Haines with no mercy ... no pity ... no respite ... ONLY WAR!_

**Magnus:** "Nice one ..."

**Ferrus:** "Not finished yet - I ATTACK WITH *CHAN BOARD MEMES!"

**Nightbringer:** "What?!? NO!!"

_The God is covered with the various memes of the Internet, and plenty of DESU for added helpings. _

**Ferrus:** "We've got the new Codex Magnus!"

**Magnus:** "Lets see ... WS ungodly ... Strength ... DESTROYER!?!?! Screw that! Toughness 9!?!?! HOW MANY WOUNDS!?!?!?! Intiative 5 ... 10 attacks ... scythe does ... skipping scythe because it scares me ... ah!"

**Russ:** "What?!?!

**Magnus:** "INDEPENDENT CHARACTER!!!"

**Ferrus:** "So?!?!"

**Magnus:** "You guys know of we're only available in Apocalypse right?"

**Russ:** "Yeah ... point is?"

**Magnus:** "We've been fighting an Apocalypse battle! He's an IC - HE CAN'T CLAIM OBJECTIVES! HE LOSES!"

**Nightbringer:** "Neither can you!"

**Fred:** "True ... but he has us!"

_She and the tech-priests stand upon the objectives. All scoring unit's worth of them._

**Magnus:** "Oh dear ... that was the last turn ... guess we've won ..."

**Nightbringer:** "WHAT?!?!?! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!!!"

**Ferrus:** "Well ... we just did. So GTFO our Craftworld"

**Nightbringer:** _As he disappears. _"You may have won this round ... but next time we meet I shall remember to bring with me scoring units! And Monoliths! LOTS OF MONOLITHS!"

**Ferrus:** "Need more Lascannons folks ..."

**Magnus:** _Hurries to Fred._"That was amazing!"

**Fred:** "He gone?"

**Magnus:** "Yes he's gone ... you did fantastic Fred ..."

**Fred:** "I'm sorry Magnus ..."

**Magnus:** "Sorry? Sorry about what?"

**Fred:** _She holds out her hand, on her palm a single die rests with a 'one' face up. _"I failed my Invulnerable Save ..."

_She collapses into Magnus' arms._

**Magnus:** "What? No ... please don't ... FERRUS! RUSS! HELP ME!! Fred ... please don't die ... FRED!!!"


	39. Chapter 39

_**Chapter Thirty-nine**_

_"Up ... down ... up ... down ... up ... down ... ergh ... think I'm going to hurl ..." - A 'rubber-Hawking' Swooping Hawks Exarch_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_As tragedy hits Magnus, a blessing hits Horus ..._

**Horus:** "ARMS! Oh blessed, glorious arms! How I missed thee! How I missed the things we did with each other, the holding, the picking up, the jer-"

**Lorgar:** "That's enough. Now we've sorted you out, we can continue our quest"

**Horus: **"Yes ... and let us not speak of what I had to go through to get them ..."

**Lorgar: **"It wasn't that bad"

**Horus: **"WHAT?!?! Did you **see** where he put that ... and the ... with the ... in the ...?" _Horus cringes in pain while Bile rolls his eyes._

**Bile: **"Pansy ..."

**Lorgar:** "Agreed. Where's your pain threshold? You're a Primarch for heaven's sake ..."

**Horus:** "What? You do things like that all the time?"

**Lorgar:** "I'm married to a Dark Eldar Wych. Take a guess"

**Horus: **"What ... seriously?"

**Lorgar:** "I'm not talking about what me an Lilith do in the privacy of our own fortress-temple so you two can stop looking at me like that!"

**Horus:** "Damn ... just when Lorgar was getting interesting ..."

**Bile:** "Yeah ..." _He sighs._

_The Lion and Vect enter the operating theatre._

**Vect:** "Yo, what's up?"

**Horus:** _Eyes them suspiciously. _"Where have you two been?"

**Vect:** "Nothing like that. Bishonen-Primarch there refused"

**Lion:** "Despite my feminine appearance I **am** perfectly straight. Just for the record any rumours to the contrary about me and my sons are lies fabricated by non-Dark Angel Space Marine players to get over the inadequacies of their own chosen Chapter!"

**Lorgar:** "Oh so **that's** the reason ... how silly of me to think otherwise ..."

**Horus:** "Remember to label any sarcastic comments you make Lorgar, otherwise it'll only fly completely past me ... so what **have** you two been up to?"

**Vect:** "Researching this 'Oracle of Oblivion' you guys are looking for"

**Horus:** "Excellent ... and?"

**Lion:** "Turns out the term has appeared frequently in historical legend, often referring to different individuals"

**Vect:** "It seems to be a title, possibly inherited, possibly earned, although it's difficult to determine"

**Lorgar:** "So who's the current Oracle?"

**Lion:** "That proved difficult to determine. The last known Oracle was an Eldar Priestess on some Exodite world that popped up during the 13th Black Crusade to console Eldrad before he got his soul trapped in that Blackstone Fortress"

**Vect:** "How **did** he escape that, by the way?"

**Horus:** "Popular demand"

**Vect:** "Figures ..."

**Lion:** "Anyway, after that the Oracle disappeared and no one's heard anything from her since ..."

**Horus:** "Where is this Exodite world she hailed from?"

**Lion:** "Meredith IX, a small world about nine hundred light years to the galactic east of the Eye, in the Grey Cluster"

**Horus:** "I know that place ... melancholy ... prone to depression and drowning in sorrow ..."

**Vect:** "Cheerful ..."

**Horus:** "A good place to get laid apparently ..."

**Vect:** "When are we going?"

**Lorgar:** "Who said you're coming with us?"

**Vect:** "Well ... we made it so far ... we're a team right?"

**Lorgar:** _Raises an eyebrow._

**Vect:** "No?"

**Horus:** "Take him with us, he might prove useful"

**Lorgar:** "Very well ... you're the Warmaster ..."

**Horus:** "Damn straight I am ... a Warmaster with **arms! **Big strong arms to conquer the universe with!" _His warp-phone starts huming to itself_. "Hold on, someone's calling me ... oh it's dad. Hi dad ... how's it going?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"No conquering the universe! That's my job! Respect your superior you ungrateful brat!"

**Horus:** "Yes dad ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Good. Now hurry the hell up, the Void Dragon's proving annoyingly good and not dying to my AWESOME might"

**Horus:** "Yes dad ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Good. Remember to watch yourself, stay away from strangers, brush your teeth, and if you get lost call me, OK?"

**Horus:** "Yes dad, bye ..." _Puts the phone back in his pocket._ "And people wonder **why** I rebelled ..."

**Vect:** "I had an over-protective dad ..."

**Lorgar:** "What happened to him?"

**Vect:** "Slaanesh ate him"

**Lorgar:** "The solution to all of life's problems ..."

**Horus:** "Enough talking! Lets start finding this Oracle!"

**Bile:** "Here's the transplant receipt and costs"

**Horus:** "Erm ... anyone got cash I can borrow? Dad cancelled my Warmaster Credit Card ..."

_In the desert wastes outside a familiar Tau outpost, several Crisis suits and teams of Firewarriors stand atop a dune and stare at the fortress._

**O'Rei:** "Fortress in sight ..."

**O'Kari:** "Erm ... good ... I think ... anyone have any ideas on how to proceed? Erm ... anyone?"

**O'Soryu: **"What are you? Stupid? WE ATTACK!!!"

**O'Kari: **"Erm ... if you say so ... erm ..."

**O'Soryu:** "You're supposed to be the leader here! DO SOMETHING!!!"

**O'Kari:** "Erm ... I can't do it!!" _Collapses to the floor and cries. _

**Alpharius:** "Wow ... seeing a Crisis suit wimp out like that ... kind of sad"

**O'Soryu:** "You're telling me ... hey ... who are you?!?!"

**Alpharius:** "Gate security, do you have a pass?"

**O'Soryu:** "Screw you!" _She raises her Plasma Rifle and prepares to fire. _

_'Air on a G String' starts playing in the background as Alpharius round-house kicks the Plasma Rifle and tears it off the Crisis Suit in the process. The other Crisis suit, O'Rei, aims her Missile Pod and fires. Alpharius jumps up and kicks the missile mid-air into O'Soryu's face. _

**O'Soryu:** "ARGH! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" _Raises her Fusion Blaster and points at the Primarch._

_Alpharius grabs her Fusion Blaster and points at O'Rei as the Tau fires, burning the Crisis suit into pieces. _

**O'Rei:** "I die ... again ... it is a state of being ..."

**Alpharius:** "Whatever" _He flips over and brings O'Soryu down on her head, snapping the 'head' of the Crisis suit off. Tearing off the Flamer, he turns to the Firewarriors and unleashes flamey death as Pulse Rifle fire bounces off his frame._

**Fire Warriors:** "ARGH! FIRE! OUR 4+ ARMOUR SAVES ARE FAILING US! CURSE OUR BAD DICE ROLLS!"

**Alpharius:** "Go hide behind your Skimmer transports you pansy fish-gits"

_As the Fire Warriors run away, Alpharius turns to the Shas'vre crawling out of her Crisis suit._

**Alpharius:** "And, as for you ... how many are left? Was this a scout force, or a prelude to an assault on the fortress?"

**O'Soryu:** "Like I'd tell you stupid!"

**Alpharius:** _Pulls out a small stuffed doll. _"I think you will ..."

**O'Soryu:** "Mother! MOTHER! I'M A CRISIS SUIT PILOT! MOTHER!!!"

**Alpharius:** "The general law of all mecha-pilots - traumatic childhood a requirement ... right - you will start talking, understand?"

_'Canon in D' starts playing in the background._

**Alpharius:** "What's with all the classical music?"

_Budget's running out. We need license-free music for the soundtrack. Also I can't afford to draw you properly anymore._

**Stick-Figure Alpharius:** "You bastard - GET SOME SPONSORSHIP!"

**PRIMARCHS - BROUGHT TO YOU BY ZOATIBIX!**


	40. Chapter 40

_**Chapter Forty**_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

We rejoin our heroes Horus, Lorgar, and the Lion where we left off ... to discover them hanging upside down above a pit of boiling acid infested with acid-resistant Catachan Seabass with LASERS attached to their heads! Around this pit dozens of strangely familiar-looking SHORT PEOPLE stand cheering!

**Squat Leader:** "DEATH TO THOSE WHO RECEIVED NEW FLUFF WHILE OTHERS HAVE SUFFERED THE HUMILIATION OF SUFFERING THE 'DELETE' BUTTON!!!"

**Horus:** "Remind me how we got here?"

_Indeed ... a situation like this calls for the benefit of a FLASHBACK!_

_**SIX HOURS AGO ....**_

_Horus, Lorgar, the Lion, and Fabius Bile stand in the reception of Bile's facility. Behind them two heavily augmented Carnifexes stand motionless, trapped in an enternal RULES LOOP!_

**Bile:** "Thanks for that guys; how the hell am I supposed to get them out of this?"

**Lorgar:** "Reboot them?"

**Horus:** "That's a Ferrus remark, you surprise me Lorgar"

**Lorgar:** "Hmm ... not sure if that's a good thing ..."

**Bile:** "Who cares?" _He sighs._ "Oh well, you've got what you can for, and I have enough genetic data to make an army of Little Horus clones" _His eyes light up with glee_.

**Horus:** "Gentlemen ... let us depart this forsaken place before I get **really** creeped out"

**Lion:** "Agreed"

_The revolving doors leading into the reception spin ... and spin ... and spin ... until the Lion reaches out with his sword and jams them open. A Space Marine in black power armour with the Dark Angels insignia tumbles out._

**Fallen:** "Bloody hell! That was a tad more hassle than I thought ... oh hi chaps! Say ... aren't you my Primarch?"

**Lion:** "So ... you're the one they call Cipher?"

**Cipher:** "That'll be me! Good to see you again, Lion old chap!"

**Lion:** "You look familiar ..."

**Cipher: **"A lot of people say that, the benefit of keeping your face hidden in the shadow of your hood"

**Lion:** "Isn't that my sword?"

**Cipher:** "Do you want it back?"

_He holds up both halves of the Lion Sword._

**Lion:** "You broke it! The only sword ever cool enough to be named after me and you broke it!"

**Cipher:** "Did you take insurance on it?"

**Lion:** "What? I'm a Primarch - I don't pay insurance!"

**Cipher:** "Well there you go - problem"

**Lion:** "But that sword is **sick!** It's extendable! It's +10 to all stats! It's Break Damage Limit! I has Knights of the Round Materia in the hilt! It's my Rosebud and you **broke** it!"

**Cipher:** "Damn ... I should have sold it on wBay ..."

**Lion:** "No you **shouldn't have** ... OK we have a new priority"

**Horus:** "Your sword?"

**Lion:** "Yes, **my** sword. You had your arms, I have my sword"

**Horus:** "I think my arms are a **little** more important than your sword"

**Lion:** "How so?"

**Horus:** "Can't je-"

**Lorgar:** "Horus please ..."

**Horus:** "-with a sword, can you?"

**Bile:** "In some of Slaanesh's movies you might"

**Lorgar:** "More information than I wanted to know, Bile"

**Bile:** "That's my job"

**Lion:** "We're getting this sword fixed - **end of argument!**"

**Horus:** "Did you just argue against me?"

**Lorgar:** "Horus, can you put your galaxy-size ego aside for one moment?"

**Horus:** "I AM THE WARMASTER! NO ONE QUESTIONS MY AWESOMENESS!"

**Lion:** "Fine, I shall repair it on my own! It was a mistake to work with you in the first place"

**Horus:** "I never want to work with you anyway! Stuck up altar bishie boy!"

**Lion:** "Bald son of a Yorkshire terrier!"

**Horus:** "Take that back!"

**Lion:** "**You** take **that** back!"

**Squat Leader:** "Excuse me?"

**Lorgar:** "Where the hell did they come from?"

_Oops ... my bad._

**Horus:** "Who the hell are you? Rejects from WFB?"

**Squat Leader:** "No more than Eldar ... we're space dwarfs - SQUATS!"

**Horus:** "Weren't you eaten by Tyranids?"

**Squat Leader:** "That's what they thought, but turns out some of us where living in Tau space, and in true Russian Reversal style - IN TAU EMPIRE, SQUATS EAT TYRANIDS!"

**Lion:** "That makes no sense whatsoever ..."

**Squat Leader:** "You making any sense isn't my problem laddie! My problem is JUSTICE!"

**Squats:** "JUSTICE!"

**Lorgar:** "There's **more** of them?!?"

**Squat Leader:** "Aye ... more than GW would like to admit. See ... we want some justice, and we's figures the best way would be to get their attention - draw sympathy to our plight ..."

**Lorgar:** "And what does this have to do with us?"

**Squat Leader:** "See ... if we kill you, then we get attention, and because we killed you we'll get sympathy!"

**Horus:** "How does that work ... ?"

**Squat Leader: **"They'll say 'Look at those poor Squats - they have to kill Primarchs to get attention! Poor things!' Sympathy see?"

**Lorgar:** "What type of retarded logic is that?"

**Squat Leader:** "Squat Logic - so shut ye trap or we'll shut if for ya!"

**Horus:** "Just try ... in case you hadn't noticed we're **Primarchs**!"

**Squat Leader:** "Aye, I had happened to notice that. Which is why I needs yer to not resist, else we're gonna have to hurt you"

**Lorgar:** "You don't want us to resist you killing us? Where's the logic ... oh ... wait ... Squat Logic right?"

**Squat Leader:** "You catch on pretty quickly!"

**Horus:** "Well we're going to resist anyway. What harm could a bunch of short little runts like you possibly do?"

**Squat Leader:** "BRING FORTH THE EGO-MASHER!"

_Several squats part way to reveal a giant cannon held by a team of squats._

**Squat Leader:** "FIRE!!"

**Horus:** "What?!?"

_The cannon fires, and a huge bolt of energy strikes Horus. He falls down to his knees._

**Lorgar:** "Horus! Are you OK?"

**Horus:** "... it's no use ... I can't do it ... I'M USELESS!!!"

**Lorgar:** "What did you do to him?"

**Squat Leader:** "A little positive warp energy - milked from a Sensei, another 'forgotten' part of 40K lore. Turns individuals soaked in negative warp energy positive, which makes 'em depressed"

**Lion:** "Again ... how does that work out?"

**Lorgar:** "Squat Logic ..."

**Squat Leader:** "FIRE!"

_Lorgar is hit by the Ego-Masher. He collapses to his kness and starts sobbing._

**Lion:** "Well, by Squat Logic that thing won't have any affect on me, as I'm already soaked in positive warp energy"

**Squat Leader:** "That's why we installed a 'settings' knob on it"

**Lion:** "Oh ... crap"

**Squat Leader:** "FIRE!!!"

_When all our heroes have been reduced to blubbering wrecks ..._

**Squad Leader:** "Tie 'em up. We need to make their death good for the ratings ..."

_And so we fast forward to where we first came in ..._

**Horus:** _Upside down._ "So guys ... any ideas?"

**Lion:** "If I had a sword ..."

**Horus: **"Now isn't the time ..."

**Cipher:** "I have an idea!"

**Lion:** "Oh ... what is it?"

**Cipher:** "Well, I wasn't mentioned in the beginning, so I don't have to be hanging upside down"

**Lorgar:** "What?!?!"

**Cipher:** "Hey, I'm just taking avantage of SAW - Script As Written"

_And behold! Cipher is standing amongst some very surprised Squats._

**Lion:** "So that's how he's never been caught ..."

**Cipher:** "And speaking of which ... I believe it's time to kick some stunty ass!!"

**TO BE CONTINUED ....**


	41. Chapter 41

_**Chapter Forty-one**_

_"It never ceases to amaze me the ways Mankind can argue and interpret the Laws of its physical universe; you're not in base contact with me, I can run away without you catching me. It's the Laws of Physics, live with them. As for this 'Fish of Fury' ..." - O'Soryu_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

Leaving Cipher to 'kick stunty ass' (isn't that like beating up kids?), we return that that certain Daemon world to find Mortarion, the suspicious Llama, and Malekith searching through the main capital city of Free Cookies searching for Morathi.

**Malekith:** "So why 'Free Cookies'?"

**Ev'rii:** "Because they are the most irresistable temptation known to mankind, so why not name the largest city on this world after it?"

**Malekith:** "Well ... there's logic I suppose ..."

**Mortarion:** "Squat Logic?"

**Malekith:** "That was last chapter's main joke"

**Mortarion:** "Oh ... sorry. Guess I'm slightly behind ..."

**Ev'rii:** "You can be slightly behind **me** any day of the week ..."

**Malekith:** "Ev'rii, what did we discuss before setting out?"

**Ev'rii:** "I know ... I'm sorry. It's just inuendo is as much a part of me as narcissim and slight irritation is to you and your people"

**Malekith:** "Good point, guess I'm pot calling the kettle black here ..."

**Mortarion:** "What does that have to do with anything? We're not making coffee ..."

**Malekith:** _He sighs._ "You explain it to him dear, I have better things to do"

**Ev'rii:** "Oh look, is that what you're looking for?"

_They stop in the centre of a crowded town plaza (no guesses as to what half the population are up to). Ahead a huge building has had banners draped down the sides, proudly proclaiming a new exhibition of 'The Key of Desire'._

**Mortarion:** "What's a **museum** doing on a Slaaneshi world?"

**Ev'rii:** "Believe it or not, some people find those things fun"

**Mortarion:** "How strange ..."

**Malekith:** "Other people's perverse habits are not our concern. You wanted to know where the Key was - there you are. Somewhere in the building they're keeping it, probably under lock and key"

**Mortarion:** "Oh dear ... we're going to need the others"

**Malekith:** "What? Did I say that? No. You're a Primarch, Mort, a God Amongst Men ... or some such crap to that degree anyway. You can take on whatever's in that building without breaking into sweat!"

**Mortarion:** "But what if they have another of those indestructable Keeper of Secrets?"

**Malekith:** "Then I'll take care of him. I seem to do quite well against them"

**Mortarion:** "What do you do right that we do wrong?"

**Malekith:** "Armour Save Modifiers. It has a 1+ Armour Save"

**Mortarion:** "What?!? What happened to always failing on a 1?"

**Malekith:** "That's Cover Saves"

**Mortarion:** "You seem to know a lot about our rule system"

**Malekith:** "I took an advanced degree in Warhammer 40K Rules Lawyering before I got here. You should take one some day"

**Mortarion:** "I think Magnus did that, and took a Scholarship as a follow-up ... he knows the rules better than I do"

**Malekith:** "Mort, if you don't mind me saying, you don't seem to have a high opinion of yourself. Have some confidence man! You can do awesome stuff if you set your mind to it!"

**Mortarion:** "You sound like Vulkan, he keeps telling me that"

**Malekith:** "Perhaps for a reason?"

**Mortarion:** "Look, not wishing to sound rude, but I'm one of the greatest warriors of the **God of Despair!** Did you expect me to be **cheerful**?"

**Malekith:** "Well ... when you put it that way ..."

**Mortarion:** "Thank you. Right ... shall we get this Key then?"

**Malekith:** "Lets!"

_They proceed to walk up the great steps into the Museum of Pleasure._

**Malekith: **"What do you think's inside anyway?"

**Mortarion:** "I have some guesses ..."

**Ev'rii:** "It's not all S&M, there's large sections devoted to chocolate, candy, sports cars, industrial cleaning equipment, trout fishing, table-top wargames, _Star Wars_, and collecting plushies of Japanese animation characters"

**Mortarion:** "Wow ... there's even a wing devoted to Marmite"

**Malekith:** "Ergh ... disgusting stuff"

**Mortarion:** "I like it"

**Malekith:** "Well ... you have taste"

**Ev'rii:** "Erm ... guys? The Key?"

**Malekith:** "According to this it's in the east wing under special display; 'Exhibition of Cool Eldar Stuff'. What type of exhibition is that?"

**Ev'rii:** "It's for Eldarphiles"

**Malekith:** "Figures ... people think being an Elf is so easy ... if they actually were an Elf it'll be a different story"

**Mortarion:** "Oh?"

**Malekith:** "Oh yes ... being an Elf is **incredibly** easy. Dude ... we're like sex on a stick!"

**Ev'rii:** "Not as comfortable as you'd think that ..."

**Malekith:** "Wasn't what I was referring to ..."

**Ev'rii:** "I know"

**Malekith:** "Moving swiftly onwards ...lets go see what sort of state this Key is in ..."  
**  
Fulgrim:** "Oh hi guys ..."

**Mortarion:** "Fulgrim, Ka'ndii, what are you two doing here?"

**Fulgrim:** "Seeing the exhibition, same as you're probably doing, unless we've forgotten about the Key like Sanguinius?"

**Mortarion:** "He still?"

**Fulgrim:** "Oh yeah ... Primarch constitution and all that ... anyway, have you guys seen it?"

**Mortarion:** "We were just about to ..."

**Fulgrim:** "Then let me - it's sealed in a psychic ward maintained by six Keepers of Secrets, and these are the Forgeworld variety ... inside the ward a smaller ward is maintained by twelve Daemonettes, all Elites with epic wargear, and finally there's a clear crystal adamantium case with the Key inside on a velvet cushion ..."

**Mortarion:** "That all?"

**Fulgrim** "And the armed forces of the entire local Daemonic legion"

**Mortarion:** "Not much then"

**Fulgrim:** "Should be a piece of cake ... if we had Magnus to blow open the psychic wards ... as it is none of us are exactly master psykers"

**Malekith:** "But you're Primarchs!"

**Fulgrim:** "Doesn't mean we're automatically psychic lords. I would have used some second edition-style psychic megadeath powers more often in the Crusade if that was the case ..."

**Malekith:** "Point. So what's our options?"

**Fulgrim:** "We need a master of psychics ... a lord of warp-spawned death ... a legend amongst psykers ... a ... oh crap ..."

**Mortarion:** "We need Mephiston"

**Malekith:** "This is where my interest in the plan spirals downwards into oblivion ... well it was nice knowing you all, I'm off to find mum"

**Mortarion:** "Not so fast Malekith, we need you to help take out the Keepers of Secrets"

**Malekith:** "Make me emo boy!"

**Mortarion:** "Very well, I shall summon forth the very essence of despair itself! The cry of the absolute knowledge that you will eventually fade and decay, and from your remains death shall spring forth on his black horse, and in his hands he will hold the Great Scythe. With one swing he will cut through your soul, tearing it asunder and scatter the pieces into the nether, where you will only know, in your fractured concsciousness, the inevitability of your eventual insanity wrought from the aeons spent in lonely isolation devoid of the warmth of Human contact! Within this cage of insanity, this prison for your own madness of despair, I shall whisper forever in your ear the truth you hold within you but refuse to admit; all is decay, decay is all. What is, will soon never be! And where the entropy consumes all I shall stand, servent of my Lord Nurgleth!"

**Malekith:** "gulp OK ... sounds good to me"

**Mortarion:** "Excellent, lets get started ..."

_Mortarion walks off. Malekith, meanwhile, turns to Fulgrim._

**Malekith:** "He scares me"

**Fulgrim:** "He scares all of us ..."

**Mortarion:** _Calls from up ahead._ "Come on guys! This Key isn't going to steal itself!"


	42. Chapter 42

_**Chapter Forty-two**_

_"Seriously, Rob's head is so far up the Big E's arse I'm surprised the Emperor doesn't rap his speeches these days ..." - Malcador, on Not Giving It a Rest_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

Mortarion and Fulgrim have succeeded in finding the Key of Desire, only to discover the path to the Key may not be as easy as they first thought (taking into consideration their Primarch-status) ...

**Tour Guide:** "And here we have the 2007 Chaos plastic releases, including an original first-run mould of the Terminator Lord and accompanying Terminator squad, models generally agreed by experts of the day to be sex in plastic form - hold your inuendo please dears ..."

_The general crowd of Daemonettes before her smile and giggle amongst themselves._

**Tour Guide:** "Beside these excellent sculpts we have the original Rogue Trader Jes Goodwin Eldar figures-" _Gasps erupt from the crowd._ "-in mint condition and painted by the man himself"

**Random Daemonette:** "Is it true you keep him here?"

**Tour Guide:** "Not **here**, as such, but Slaanesh does keep Jes under lock and key in her own personal museum located within the Empyrean proper. She lets him out for personal signature signing events every century on Pink Moon's Eve. Bookings can be made at the door. Now moving onwards ... oh I'm sorry you have a question?"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Er ... yeah ... when do we get to the Key?"

**Tour Guide:** "That's the thirteenth time you've asked me that dear. I can understand your excitement - the Key is our special display this epoch. It's next on our tour in fact, se if you'd like to follow me ... and we're walking ... we're walking ... or crawling if you prefer madam ..."

_They walk through huge adamantium doors flanked by chained Dreadnoughts from the Violators Chapter. Entering the huge room where Fulgrim saw the Key, they merge in with the general crowds assembled around the Eldar artifact._

**Tour Guide:** "Now, if you remember from the brochures, the Key of Desire is one of the six ancient Eldar devices forged by Vaul himself to open the Gates of Varl in the Eastern Fringe of our galaxy, to the galactic northeast of where we currently are in the Maelstrom. Vaul has gone on record to state that the Keys are his second greatest work, bettered only by his Everlasting Beercan Opener, and scoring better than his critically acclaimed Talisman series of battlestations"

**Cloaked Figure:** "I'm sorry ... Talismans? Isn't that a board game?"

**Tour Guide:** "You might know them as Blackstone Fortresses dear, with the Imperial-centric general viewpoint of the background fiction-"

**Random Daemonette:** "Fluff!"

_The cry of a kitten can be heard ..._

**Tour Guide:** _Laughing._ "Apologies, fluff-" _MEOW!_ "-people generally forget the proper names of objects in our universe. The Blackstone Fortresses are called as such by the Imperium of Man and our mortal members in the Cult of Slaanesh. To the Eldar, and Vaul himself, they are the Talismans. Now, to explain more about the Key I have special attention of Exalted Champion Arhra"

_A round of applause welcomes the Fallen Pheonix onto the stage. Clad in magnificent living armour, Arhra is a John Blanche sketch on steroids made flesh._

**Cloaked Figure:** "Fulgrim ... is that?"

**Robed Figure:** "A Chaos Eldar? I can hear the fanboys ranting already ..."

**Arhra:** "Thank you. It's with great pleasure that I officially open this special exhibition to the works of the Mother Race of our blessed Slaanesh; those whose decadance and pursuit of excess lead to the annihilation of their empire and the rise of Slaanesh, which we are all thankful for. On today - Thanksgiving's Day, we give thanks to those Eldar whose souls now spend eternity suffering at the hands of the wonderful Goddess they unknowingly created!"

_General laughter erupts and Arhra is met with more applause._

**Robed Figure:** "Oh bravo! Well said!"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Fulgrim?!?!"

**Robed Figure: **"What? In case you've forgotten I worship Slaanesh. I had Thanksgiving all planned out with Ka'ndii before you reminded me about this silly Key!"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Silly Key?!?! Fulgrim, have you forgotten who currently controls Terra? If we don't get that Key Terra will forever be in the hands of the C'tan! I'm not going to let those Retconned Power Gamers sit on the Golden Throne - that's Horus' seat!"

**Robed Figure:** "All right!! Calm down! Don't give me another of those Emo Speeches you gave Malekith last chapter ... now. Can you see any sort of weak point? Something we can take advantage of?"

**Cloaked Figure: **"Well ... I did hope we could burrow under ground to avoid the wards, but you forgot to mention the damn case is floating inside them!"

**Robed Figure:** "Not my fault, the scene was still being built when I got the script last chapter. OK, so to get to the Key we need to punch through two psychic barriers and the crystal adamantium shell ... well the last one's easy. Nothing Strength 10 can't solve ... but the first two? We need Mephiston ..."

**Cloaked Figure:** "Agreed. The crappy wording of his Psychic Hood should let him shut down a power started last game, provided those Daemons don't have stupidly high Leadership ..."

**Robed Figure:** "Isn't it capped at 10?"

**Cloaked Figure:** "The way this thing is going? I wouldn't bet on it ..."

**Arhra:** "...and I would like to thank everyone here today for making an appearance. Your support means much to Slaanesh, and she rewards those who support her. Remember - pursue excess, get cool Daemonic Gifts! Soon you too will get a larger Armoury points limit like me!"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Didn't they get rid of the Armoury in the new Codex?"

**Arhra:** "I'm not using the new Codex. Anyone here using it?"

_No hands are raised ..._

**Cloaked Figure:** "Just wanted to check ... it sucks ... down with the new Codex ... yay!"

_General laughter is heard, and Mortarion breathes a sigh of relief._

**Arhra:** "In celebration of this exhibition, tasty snacks and underaged slaves are being served in the cafe next door! I invite everyone to join me in Thanksgiving!"

_Everyone cheers and slowly follows Arhra out one of the many doors leading into the chamber._

**Cloaked Figure:** "Fulgrim ... now's our chance to do some recon!"

**Robed Figure:** "But ... tasty snacks!!"

**Cloaked Figure:** "You can eat later!"

**Robed Figure:** "Eat? I was talking about the-"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Right, I'm changing the subject. I can hear Lorgar grit his teeth from the other side of the galaxy. You know Slaaneshii sorcery, what can you tell me about the wards?"

**Robed Figure (Ka'ndii):** _A small head pokes out from under the hood. _"It's a typical Type IV barrier, maintained by KOS's and ED's, double-walled for maximum defence"

**Cloaked Figure:** "What! Ka'ndii! I thought Fulgrim was under there!"

**Robed Figure (Fulgrim):** "I am, but I needed something to bulk it out. I'm half snake remember? So Ka'ndii and Ev'rii volunteered"

**Cloaked Figure:** "What? You've got **both **of them in there?"

**Robed Figure (Fulgrim):** "Well they're not exactly large are they? They're the old metal third edition ones"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Ev'rii, you all right in there?"

**Robed Figure (Ev'rii):** "Well his tail keeps on trying to undo my chainmail bikini ... and he stinks a bit ... but it's cool ... actually are you cold blooded by any chance Fulgrim?"

**Robed Figure (Fulgrim): **"I repeat - half snake. Sorry about the tail - it's a subconcious thing ..."

**Robed Figure (Ka'ndii):** "Ev'rii, lets change positions!"

**Robed Figure (Ev'rii):** "Sure, I don't do scales"

**Cloaked Figure:** _Cringes. _"I think I've been on this planet too long ..."

**Robed Figure (Ev'rii):** "When we get off-" _Mortarion cringes again._ "-you can show me your world ..."

**Cloaked Figure:** "You wouldn't like it ... it's all wastelands, pollution and depressing goth poetry ..."

**Robed Figure (Ev'rii): **"Sounds like fun!"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Seriously?"

**Robed Figure (Ka'ndii):** "She's always been a bit emo - she listens to Dido in her lunch break!"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Oh ... I can lend you all her albums ..."

**Robed Figure (Fulgrim):** "Mort ... my respect for you has now reached new depths ... congratulations. Would you like Ev'rii to bulk up your robes, then you two can keep the emo away from me an Ka'ndii ... ?"

**Robed Figure (Ev'rii):** "Please ... have you **seen** what those two are up to in here?"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Don't want to know ..."

**Robed Figure (Fulgrim):** "It's rock, paper and scissors!"

**Robed Figure (Ka'ndii):** "And you keep winning, how am I supposed to beat four hands!"

**Cloaked Figure:** "I despair ... honestly I do!"

**Robed Figure (Fulgrim):** "We get that!"

**Arhra:** "Indeed I do. Welcome to you both Fulgrim of the Emperor's Children and Mortarion of the Death Guard"

_The two robed figures slowly turn round to face the Chaos Eldar._

**Mortarion:** "Ah ... end of chapter?"


	43. Chapter 43

_**Chapter Forty-three**_

_"This product was brought to you by Prom-Lite Inc., supplying your every promethium-powered heretic-burning needs!" - Advertisement_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan. _

_Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!_

_Confronted by the legendary first Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpions, Arhra, our heroes must think fast if they are to escape!_

**Fulgrim:** "What?!? We're Primarchs!! Lets kick this guy's ass!"

**Arhra:** "Hold on, before you draw unnecessary attention to yourself with displays of lame power allow me to answer a few questions"

**Fulgrim:** "No need, I have no questions to ask"

**Arhra:** "Aren't you a little interested in how I know who you are?"

**Fulgrim:** "Nope"

**Arhra:** "Oh ... or why I'm unarmed?"

**Fulgrim:** "You're unarmed? Excellent" _He runs forward, drawing six swords from under his robes as two Daemonettes tumble out. He brings all six swords down upon Arhra, only to see them miss their target by feet. _"Huh?"

**Arhra:** "Defend"

**Fulgrim:** "What? Fine ... thake this!!" _He swings a sword around. Arhra catches it and crushes the metal easily._

**Arhra:** "Crushing blow"

**Fulgrim:** "How about this?!?" _He latches his tail onto Arhra's leg and pulls, but Arhra jumps up and swings Fulgrim around and smashes him into the floor._

**Arhra:** "Acrobatic"

**Fulgrim:** "Phg th phgeen heesy ldar wrrer pwers!"

**Mortarion:** "I think I just about got that ... so how do you know us?"

**Arhra:** "For starters you Primarchs aren't exactly the most subtle of beings. That rebellion of yours was a shamble from start to finish, even without the poor pacing, lack of characterisation, and complete failure of any kind of logic"

**Mortarion:** "No ... that was the damn Remembrancers. The fact that most of them can't decide which legions were at Istvaan and which ones came in afterwards, let alone the spelling of the damn planet, should give you a few hints"

**Arhra:** "Fair enough. I'm surprised you haven't sued for false presentation ..."

**Mortarion:** "I've been tempted, but Horus says it's not worth it ... mind you he's the only one portrayed true to life in those books ..."

**Arhra:** "Exactly, why should you be brought down to his level? You're not an egotistical narcissist!"

**Mortarion:** "Like you know me - we've only just met!"

**Arhra:** "To the contrary ... I know much about you two ... you Mortarion, and you-" _He looks down at Fulgrim, picking himself up and looking quite irate._ "-Fulgrim of the Emperor's Children ... I've watched you since you entered the Eye after the Heresy ..."

**Mortarion:** "All the time?"

**Arhra:** "I switch off when you're in the shower, if that's what you're asking ... I wasn't being painfully literal ... the point is we wanted to know if you were capable of joining the Club"

**Fulgrim:** "The Club?"

**Arhra:** "A little get-together of the most ancient and powerful of Chaos Lords ... the type who don't even get Apocalypse datasheets because we make Space Marines look bad ..."

**Mortarion:** "Ahh ... can't have that now can we?"

**Arhra:** "Indeed. Ever wondered why Chaos Eldar aren't mentioned anymore? Because we would be the most kick-ass servants of Chaos, **not** your Astartes Legions ... simple fact since the days of Tolkien. When it comes to Elves and Humans, anything you guys can do ... we can do better ... with more sex appeal ..."

**Mortarion:** "Is this supposed to make me feel better?"

**Arhra:** "In a back-handed way, yes. We believe you're ready to join us, amongst the ranks of the hardest individuals in the 40K universe ... well ... **almost** ... consider stealing this Key your entry into our little club"

**Mortarion:** "You knew we would be here ... didn't you?"

**Arhra:** "Did you honestly believe I'd do simple public events like opening a museum exhibition? I'm a **Phoenix Lord**! I've better things to do ... like kicking ass on a galactic scale ..."

**Mortarion:** "So what does joining this club involve?"

**Arhra:** "You get a cool T-shirt ..."

**Fulgrim:** "I'm in!"

**Mortarion:** "I'll think about it ..."

**Fulgrim:** "Mort - funky T-shirt!"

**Mortarion:** "Don't care"

**Fulgrim:** "You never care about the cool stuff!"

**Mortarion:** "Cool isn't practical"

**Fulgrim:** "How are we related?"

**Mortarion:** "I wonder that myself ..."

**Arhra:** "Have you two finished?"

**Mortarion:** "So you're not going to help us?"

**Arhra:** "No, I'll observe ... and laugh at your efforts ... I've brought popcorn along just for the occasion"

**Mortarion:** "Thanks for the faith in our abilities"

**Arhra:** "I'm Eldar ... arrogance comes with the pointy ears"

**Fulgrim:** "Never a truer word be said ..."

**Mortarion:** "Fine ... don't help us. We'll do just fine without you. Come on Fulgrim ... we've seen enough ..."

**Fulgrim:** "Yup ... I'll talk to you about the T-shirts, OK?"

**Mortarion:** "Fulgrim!!"

_The Primarchs walk out, Daemonettes in tow. Arhra stands alone in the empty chamber (except for the Daemons keeping the wards up, but they're zoned out anyway). Eventually a cloaked figure walks up behind him._

**Arhra: **"I believe they do have potential ..."

**Cloaked Figure:** "We shall see ... the Siege of Terra will fail ... the Emperor will be defeated by the Dragon ... all this is inevitable as the tides of the sea ..."

**Arhra:** "They will turn to the Primarchs?"

**Cloaked Figure:** "Of course ... just as planned ..."


	44. Chapter 44

_**Chapter Forty-four**_

_"I came ... I saw ... I conquered craploads ... and still GW left me out of the new Guard Codex. GW - fu- ... rest of writing eroded" - Writting on the tomb of Lord Commander Solar Macharius_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_While Fulgrim and Mortarion plot to steal an ancient Eldar artifact from the clutches of a Slaaneshi museum committee, Horus and his brothers, Lorgar and the Lion, deal with a rather __**small**__ problem ..._

**Lorgar:** "We're **not** going to stuff this chapter full of 'short people' jokes are we?"

**Horus:** "OK Lorgar, calm down. My, you have a rather **short** temper, don't you?"

**Lion:** "Must be the result of a **tiny** outlook on life"

**Cypher:** "Now, now. No need to be**little** the man ..."

**Lorgar:** "... I hate you guys ..."

**Squat Leader:** "Enough on tha jokes! You've killed ma mates! That makes me **really** not happy! Nao shut up and let me beat the crap out of you with this pickaxe of mine here!"

**Horus:** "Seriously, what is it with dwarfs and pickaxes?"

**Lion:** "If it's not pickaxes it's hammers. Would you like a hammer?"

**Horus:** "Would that hurt more?"

**Squat Leader:** "Nah, which is why I'm using this ere pickaxe. Sharp and pointy for big gits jus like ya!"

**Horus:** "Ouch ... harsh words. I've been called worse though ..."

**Lorgar:** "Keeler?"

**Horus:** _He sighs. _"A pity; our relationship was so passionate ... but she took offence to me committing mass genocide and waging war against dad ..."

**Lorgar:** "How odd ... women get emotional over the strangest of things ..."

**Lion:** "Indeed ... we will never understand the strange mind of a woman ..."

**Squat Leader:** "Course; we're too good for dumb gits like ya to understand!"

**Lion:** "What? You're a **girl?**"

**Squat Leader:** "Of course I am! What did ya thank I was? A well-endowed bloke?"

**Lion:** "I don't know ... too many kebabs after the pub perhaps? Look, for heaven's sake, you've got a **beard**!"

**Squat Leader:** "I'm a dwarf - we all have beards!"

**Horus:** "Ergh ... sorry I'm not one for the 'natural look'"

**Squat Leader:** "That's 'cause ya can't handle a real woman!"

**Horus:** "You're six feet shorter than me and have more facial hair than I can grow in my lifetime; I'm sorry but 'handling' isn't part of the equation here ... can we just hurry up and kill him/her/it/whatever?"

**Squat Leader: **"Why ya sexist pig!!"

**Horus:** "How is that sexist? You're ugly - that's **fact**"

**Squat Leader:** "Ya little shi- ... ergghettieoetqwewgfheg ..." _She collapses to the ground from the point-blank plasma shot to the back of her skull._

**Cypher:** _Lowering his plasma pistol._ "What strange sounds. How did she pronounce all that?"

**Horus:** "Who cares? My gratitude anyway to you good Neo of the Dark Angels"

**Cypher:** "Cypher sir. Neo was the hero"

**Horus:** "Oh really? Sorry about that, I haven't watched _The Matrix_ in years ..."

**Lorgar:** "Let me guess; the sequels spoiled the experience for you?"

**Horus:** "It was like reading through _The Collected Visions_ of the Heresy and having all the bad dialogue and lame fight scenes turned into live action and given a CG gloss varnish"

**Lion:** "Don't see why you're complaining; you're the only one who made it through those books without some gross miss-characterisation done to you. Dorn's still ranting about how his reaction to Garro's news was altered, making him look like an arrogant and spoiled child, and as for Russ ... well less said about that the better ..."

**Horus:** "Wait ... are you calling me a stupid, arrogant, egotistical narcissist?"

**Lion:** "Among other things ..."

**Horus:** "Oh really? Lion, who's the Warmaster?"

**Lion:** "sigh You are the Warmaster, Horus"

**Horus:** "And who made me Warmaster?"

**Lion:** "The Emperor, which he did because you were the only one of us dumb enough and in love with himself enough to be the perfect poster boy for the Crusade. The type that makes every woman want to have kids so they can name them all 'Horus' regardless of gender", giving dad more pawns for his grand ultimate plan ..."

**Horus:** "And what was that?"

**Lion:** "The Imperial Webway Project - aka Echan"

**Horus:** "What?!? He was going to connect every world with the webway-"

**Lion:** "-And turn the Imperium of Man into one giant imageboard with him as the ultimate mod. Where all would lolz at his memes and sing his praises, where he would bitch and whine and we would all agree and support his opinions. There would be no difference of opinion, no conflict, only on united hive mind. It would be the Imperium of Anonymous ..."

**Horus:** "By the Gods! So close he was to that dream!"

**Lion:** "Luckily for us you sided with Chaos and kicked uniformity to the curb!"

**Horus:** "You sound like you support my decision ..."

**Lion:** "I might ... or I might not ... it's up to the reader to decide ..."

**Cypher:** "Indeed ..."

_Creepy music ..._

**Horus:** "Who cares? Now those bloody stunties have been dealt with we can get back to the matter at hand ..."

**Lion:** "My sword"

**Horus:** "Which **isn't** the matter at hand"

**Lorgar:** "I really don't think we can spare the time for any more sub-quests here I'm afraid"

**Lion:** "How are Horus' arms and my sword any different? Both are weapons of war ..."

**Horus:** "There's things swords can't do for you"

**Lion:** "Then get a girlfriend"

**Horus:** "Ouch"

**Lorgar:** "I'm sorry Lion, but we're getting seriously behind the others on our Plot Progression Quota. We need to find the Oracle soon and every day we spend delaying finding the Final Key is another day closer the C'tan are to conquering the background fiction"

**Lion:** "It's +5 Vorpal"

**Lorgar:** "Then what are we waiting for?"

**Horus:** "I could do with the time to practice with my arms ... killing things with them that is ..."

**Lorgar:** "Then it's decided! We fix Lion's sword, then find this Oracle of Oblivion!"

**Lion:** "Which begs the question where can we find a smith skilled enough to re-forge the blade ..."

**Lorgar:** "That's easy - Vaul"

**Horus:** "I thought Slaanesh ate him?"

**Lorgar:** "No, Slaanesh **dated** him. Easy misconception to make"

**Horus:** "Wait ... did Slaanesh sleep with the entire Eldar pantheon?"

**Lorgar:** "Yeah ... why? What did you think happened?"

**Horus:** "She **ate** them?"

**Lorgar:** "sigh Damn GW and dumbing down the fluff-" _MEOW!_ "-for a younger demographic ... in my days the fluff-" _MEOW!!_ "-was written for adults like myself, full of violence and gore, bad language, and-"

**Mortarion:** "So after a WFB battle you ... get it on amongst the corpses?"

**Malekith:** "Hell yeah! Relieves the tension, releases all that pent up energy ... only you need to make sure not to get too carried away else you might find certain bits of your body sliced off by spiky armour ..."

**Lorgar:** "Er ... quite ..."

**Horus:** "So where is Vaul?"

**Lorgar:** "Not sure but I can find out for you; I've got him on speed-dial"

**Horus:** "What?!"

**Lorgar: **"I'm a man of religion Horus, I need to keep in contact with the competition ... or potential deities if my current pantheon screw me over ..."

**Horus:** "Who else have you got on there?"

**Lorgar:** "Oh, everyone ..."

**Horus:** "Gork and Mork?"

**Lorgar:** "23 and 24 ... or it could be 24 and 23 ... not sure. I'm not an Ork so they're both kind of similar to me ..."

**Horus:** "Anyone else?"

**Lorgar:** _Presses a few buttons and holds the Warp Phone up._

**Warp Phone:** "Hi, this is Necoho. I'm not in at the moment, because I don't exist. Please don't leave a message after this tone, which doesn't exist. Therefore your message won't exist. Have a nice day!"

**Horus:** "I never really got that guy ... Malal?"

**Lorgar:** "Been trying to get in contact with him for the last millennia ... apparently he still doesn't have the IP rights to talk about himself yet ..."

**Lion:** "All right, enough of this. Get Vaul on the line ..."

**Warp Phone:** "Hi ... this is Vaul, anything I can do for you?"

**Lorgar:** "Hey Vaul, my old pal ... got a favour to ask ... how fast can you reforge a master-crafted power sword?"

_FWOOSH!_

**Vaul:** _Holds up the complete sword. _"Reforged"

**Lorgar:** "You've got to admit ... he is **good**"


	45. Chapter 45

_**Chapter Forty-Five**_

_"This is the Volcano Cannon; designed to crack open spaceships and lay Titans to waste. Bit useless on Daemons though ... number of times I've shot at Horrors and seen them pass their Invulnerable Saves ... methinks something's up with the physics in this world ..." - Princeps Bob_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_I feel compelled to sum up what's happening here ..._

**Garlock:** "Soz ... youz finished?"

**Perturabo:** _Stands broken and bruised. _"Yeah ... think we've settled our differences"

**Dorn:** _Leaning on his thunder hammer for support._ "OK, so you can have the _Risk: Star Wars Edition _dad gave me, Corax will lend you his copy of _Bioshock_, but I keep the Xbox ..."

**Perturabo:** "Agreed"

**Corax: **_Lying flat on the floor. "_Sounds good ..."

**Dorn:** "Right ... shall we continue?"

**Corax:** "Sure ... I cast _Mass Cure Critical Wounds!_"

_A bright light appears, and when it fades our heroes stand unharmed!_

**Corax:** _Flexes muscles._ "Sorry to keep you waiting Mr. Garlock"

**Garlock:** _Flexes muscles, which in turn flex their muscles._ "No worriez ... I woz just reading da latest _Naruto_ ..."

**Perturabo:** "Oh great, a Narutard ..."

**Garlock** "Youz gonna take that back, when I take youz tongue!"

**Perturabo:** "Try it greenie!!"

**Dorn:** "Now Pert, that's racism. We're trying to keep things politically correct here, otherwise Lorgar will come down on us with his big books of religion, and they always hurt"

**Perturabo:** "All his million volumes? That's enough kinetic energy to be considered a variant of Exterminatus ..."

**Dorn:** "Isn't that what powers the Planet Killer?"

**Perturabo:** "No that's just Ezekyle's ego. It's large enough to crack open planets if thrown at sufficient force ..."

**Garlock:** "Dat soundz painful ..."

**Perturabo:** "I've been hit by it once ... first time I died ... and the second time ... possibly the fourteenth ... might be the fifteenth as I can't remember how I died then ... could have been drunk at the time ..."

**Dorn:** "You've died multiple times?"

**Perturabo:** "I'm a Daemon Prince; immortality comes with the job. Eternal Warrior special rule remember?"

**Corax:** "I thought that was just immunity to Instant Death?"

**Perturabo:** "There's roleplaying benefits as well ..."

**Corax:** "I see ... well Dorn and I make do with the ambiguity over out official canon status of mortality"

**Dorn:** "Latest fluff-" _Meow!_ "-doesn't mention us dying of old age anymore ..."

**Perturabo:** "If I remember correctly latest fluff-" _Meow!_ "-doesn't really mention **what** happened to you, just a lack of a hand and Corax buggering off because he got all emo over the state of his Chapter"

**Corax:** "I did not get emo ... I just couldn't afford the AdMech upkeep fee"

**Perturabo:** "What?"

**Corax:** "Ever wonder why the Raven Guard don't have many vehicles? We owe the AdMech so much in back payments for Vehicle licenses ..."

**Perturabo:** "Vehicle licenses?"

**Dorn:** "Anyone who uses vehicles have to pay the AdMech. Supposedly it goes towards the Omnissiah Foundation For Blind Deaf and Dumb Kids, but all of us know it really goes towards the Fabricator General of Mars' next speedboat ..."

**Corax:** "The Raven Guard Underground Bungee Jumping Society almost covers our existing equipment ..."

**Perturabo:** "But ... where does he use the speedboat - neither Mars or Terra have oceans ... ?"

**Corax:** "Apparently there's a huge underground ocean beneath the Noctis Labyrinthis ... which is apparently why it was shut off"

**Perturabo:** "And not because the Void Dragon sleeps there?"

**Corax:** "That too - it's rumoured he has a beach hut on the shore with his own cadre of dancing hoola girl Necrons ..."

**Perturabo:** "... my mind refuses to picture that ..."

**Dorn:** "Might be for the best ..."

**Garlock:** _Clears throught._

**Dorn:** "Look at us babbling on! There's pwnage to dish out!"

**Grotmina:** "Already delt with masters ... Grotmina has made pwnage" _He holds up a plate of strange green stuff. _"Made from Pwnsquigs ..."

**Dorn:** "... now that's just stupid ..."

**Garlock:** "Agreed - fight naw, eat later!"

**Perturabo:** "Could agree more!" _Leaps forward, brining his Daemon weapon down upon Garlock's head. The Ork stands still for a moment, then casually flicks Perturabo away. _

**Dorn:** "Did he just ...?"

**Corax:** "Looks like it"

**Dorn:** "How?!?"

**Corax:** "An Ork Warboss strangled dad remember?"

**Dorn:** "So ... they just **pretend **to be only Strength 5??"

**Garlock:** "Gives you 'ummies a chance! We likez a fair fight! More fun when we win ..." _He grins. _"And Orkz **alwayz **win!"

**Dorn:** "We'll see" _Swings hammer around and impacts the dusty floor of the arena._ "MEGATON HAMMER SHOT!"

**Corax:** "Someone's been playing some _Zelda_ ..."

_The ground cracks, and huge pillars of fire erupt from below engulfing everyone. In true over-powered Limit Break fashion the Primarchs are unharmed while Garlock screams in pain._

**Garlock:** "AWESOME! DIS IS WHAT I LOOK FOR! POWER!"

_He scatters teeth from his hand around him. _

**Garlock:** "GREEN SUMMON - FIST OF MORK!!!"

_A giant fist comes down and repeatedly punches Dorn into the ground. _

**Corax:** "WINGS OF THE IRATE RAVEN!"

_A black shadow envelops Corax, and thousands of Ravens fly outwards screaming into Garlock. Beak after beak tear through him, until the Ravens disappear._

**Garlock:** "FINALLY SOME DECENT ACTION!! GREEN SUMMON - SNOT OF GORK!!"

_Green slime is sneezed from the sky onto Corax, who falls to the ground under the weight of the mucus. _

**Corax:** "Oh this is just **revolting!**"

**Perturabo:** "Time to finish this - PEN OF MCNEIL!!"

_A great pen descends from the sky, accompanied by large sheets of paper. A great voice booms from the heavens!_

**Graham McNeil:** "Iron Warriors for the win!"

_Perturabo is engulfed in the flames of FANBOYISM, as the ARMOUR OF AUTHOR FAVOURTISM surrounds him, his Daemon weapon glows with the POWER OF AUTHOR PREJUDICE! _

**Perturabo:** _Power streaming off of him._ "Lets rock"

_The two powerful beings charge each other, and meet in a cataclysmic clash of AWESOMENESS that I cannot justify with mere words. Suffice to say, it was EPIC!! _

_We therefore have to skip ahead to the part that can be adequately described with the English language; the aftermath._

**Garlock:** _Bleeding quite badly, with most of the bones in his body broken._ "Youz were good ... da Key is in ma claw. Take it ... itz yourz" _He holds out his power claw, and a small hatch in the side opens to reveal the Key of Hope!_

**Perturabo:** "Damn I'm awesome ..."

_Meanwhile, Leman Russ approaches a solemn Magnus within the depths of Ferrus flagship, the _l77t H4X0R_ ..._

**Russ:** "How you holding up laddie?"

_Magnus stares down at the body of Fred, held in stasis within the ... erm ... stasis machine._

**Magnus:** "Yeah ..."

**Russ: **"Ferrus found the Key of Despair, we're bringing it aboard now. As soon as everyone's back we're heading to the Gates of Varl to rendezvous with Khan, Konrad, and Angron"

**Magnus:** "The Despair Key ... how appropriate ..."

**Russ:** "Hey laddie ... I'm sorry Fred was stuffed in the fridge ... it's a poor character motivation Plot Device ..."

_Indeed. Name any superhero; chances are they've had a girlfriend who was killed/brutally wounded/or similar in the name of spurring him into action for the story's sake. See .com/wir/ for more excellent examples of why it's a bad idea to be a woman in superhero stories._

_Anyway (and now that you know Fred __**isn't**__ being stuffed in the fridge) ..._

**Magnus:** "She can't die ..."

**Russ:** "Laddie ... if we take her out of stasis she dies ... she's not going to pull a Rob and get better in a place where time doesn't exist ... "

**Magnus:** "There has to be a way!"

**Russ:** "What can you do?"

**Magnus:** "Me? I don't have that power ... not to restore her to how she was originally ... undead zombies are Mort's domain ..."

**Russ:** "I'm sorry" _His comm-link beeps._ "Ferrus is back with our Key. We're heading out in fifteen minutes" _He lays a hand on Magnus' shoulder, and begins to speak but then changes his mind. He walks out the room in silence._

**?:** "So sad ... so much potential ..."

**Magnus:** "Who's there!"

**?: **"A friend ... who can help you ..."

**Magnus:** "How?"

**?: **"Do you want to hear Fred's voice again?"

**Magnus:** "Yes, more than anything!!"

**?:** "Then take her to the Shrine on Ulgarnath IV ... there speak my name ... and I will save your precious Fred ..."

**Magnus:** "What is your name?"

**?:** "Malal ..."

**Mortarion:** "Hey Llamy ... you say something?"

**Llama:** "Hmm?"

**Mortarion:** "You know talking to yourself is the first sign of madness ..."

_Fulgrim and Sanguinius chuckle to themselves as they sit around the badly-made map of the museum formed from anything they could find in the apartment. I'll let your imagination fill in the blanks here ..._

**Llama:** "My apologies ... how goes the quest to find the solution to the inner ward?"

_As the Primarchs resume their planning, the Llama closes his eyes and smiles to himself. _


	46. Chapter 46

_**Chapter Forty-six**_

_"You see this? This is a Hugo-Jones-Pattern Vortex Grenade. This is a 'I Don't Care What Save Or Special Rule You Have, You're Dead'. This is a sure-fire way of getting rid of your ex-wife. This is a 100% efficient method of keeping the kids quiet. There is nothing my Vortex Grenade cannot do ... except maybe cool beer ..." - Random Guardsman_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!  
Exposition goes here ...

**Horus:** "Impressive! You traversed the multiverse in less time than it takes me to remind myself how **awesome** I am **and** reforged and ancient sword to working 2nd edition status!"

**Lion:** _He swings the Lion Sword._ "Hmm ... double attacks, D6 wounds, no armour saves ..." _A second swing, slightly to the left this time._ "+2 strength ..." _A third swing._ "No ... +3 ..."

**Lorgar:** "So it's juicy?"

**Lion:** "Exceedingly"

**Vaul:** "A pleasure to help an old friend out ... or rather a friend of an old friend"

**Horus:** _He gestures to Lorgar and Vaul._ "How do you two know each other anyway?"

**Vaul:** "A long story ..."

**Horus:** "Well we could do with a flashback to hold up the story while we find the Final Key"

**Vaul:** "A sneaky and dastardly plan ... I approve! Very well, if you're sitting comfortably ..."

_**Blurry mists of time part ...**_

_**THE EYE OF TERROR - TEN YEARS AFTER THE HERESY, ABOUT TEA TIME**_

_A young (or rather, younger) Lorgar sits at a table covered in books looking miserable. A Daemonically-gifted Chaplain stands before him._

**Erebus:** "Cheer up my lord, it could have been worse ..."

**Lorgar:** "And how in fact could it have been worse?"

**Erebus:** "The critics could have **actually** crucified you ... and not just with their reviews ..."

**Lorgar:** "I spent ten years writing that book, researching the events leading to our defeat at Terra ... and what do they say? 'Not enough action', 'too much philosophy', 'not written by Dan Abnett' ... bloody critics ... what do they know?!?!"

**Erebus:** "You would think a fair amount ..." _He notices the look on Lorgar's face._ "But of course I mean nothing ... nothing at all!!!"

**Lorgar:** "Indeed. My genius! And they criticise it! I feel the pain every author dreads - the pain of knowing there are people out there who's job it supposedly is to understand and praise your work who see nothing of your genius and throw hurtful words in your direction! My masterpiece is defiled! My child is raped and given to me on a bronze plate with a note attached saying 'DO NOT WANT'! The humiliation! The shame! The **burning desire for vengeance!**"

**Erebus:** "What's your plan, my lord?"

**Lorgar:** "I shall write a piece of literature so undeniably filled with such words of **awesome** that they will have no choice but to sing my praises and come crawling before me begging for my mercy! Which I won't give ... of course ..."

**Erebus:** "So ... write another book then?"

**Lorgar:** "Well I'm getting paid for it ... might as well ..."

**Erebus:** "A shining display of your overpowering intellect, my lord"

**Lorgar:** "Don't think I can't sense sarcasm when it's thrown at me, Erebus. You don't exactly have the most subtle of character"

**Erebus:** "It's the permanent evil grin plastered on my face isn't it? Horus always said he only let me trick him because he felt sorry for my one-dimensional personality"

**Lorgar:** "Indeed. Now escape my sight and go plot evil deeds somewhere else! I need to seek inspiration for my next book!"

_**Vaul:**__ "And so he sought high and low, across the editions for that topic with which to reclaim his past glory as a New York Times best-seller ... he travelled the length and breadth of the galaxy, from the Halo stars to the Squat Homeworlds, to the Eye of Terror to the Ultramar Cluster, and finally ... he arrived at the Craftworld of Biel-Tan ..."_

_Lorgar stands before the gates of Biel-Tan ... well I say 'gates' ... it's more 'large airlock' ..._

**Lorgar:** "Erm ... is there a doorbell somewhere I could ring ... ?"

_A voice calls down from the spires ..._

**Voice:** "Bugger off! We don't welcome Chaos sympathisers here!"

**Lorgar:** "I'm not a bloody Chaos sympathiser!" _Looks at the eight-pointed star plastered all over his armour. _"Well ... OK I see your point. Look I'm a journalist ... I'm here for an interview with Eldrad Ulthran!"

**Voice:** "... that's **Ulthwe** you retard!"

**Lorgar:** "Oh ... sorry"

**Horus:** "Did you actually travel to Biel-Tan by mistake?"

**Lorgar:** "What can I say? I was young and stupid ... anyway, cut to the bit where I eventually show up at Ulthwe"

**Vaul:** "After Saim-Hann and Iyanden?"

**Lorgar:** "Yeah ... skip those parts"

_Lorgar stands before the gates of Ulthwe ..._

**Lorgar:** "Look ... is this bloody Ulthwe? 'cause the last lot said the previous craftworld was Ulthwe and that turned out to be Alaitoc ... are you lot doing this deliberately?"

_A voice calls down from the spires ..._

**Voice:** "It amuses us ... hey we don't get out much so we take what entertainment we can find ..."

**Lorgar:** "Oh ... glad I can be of entertainment ..."

**Voice:** "Sarcasm will get you nowhere ... especially if you want to see Eldrad ..."

**Lorgar:** "Sorry ..."

**Voice:** "All right ... come inside, but keep your dirty Chaos corruption to yourself! We like our lifestyle rigid and uncompromising ..."

**Lorgar:** "Wow you guys really are a whole bundle of fun ..."

_Walking through the gates, Lorgar enters the craftworld proper ..._

**Lorgar:** "Wow ... it's like Jes Goodwin vomited over New York ..."

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "I'll take that as a compliment. You must be the Arch Evil Preacher Of Corruption Lorgar ..."

**Lorgar:** "Er ... I've been called that before. You must be Eldrad?"

**Eldrad:** "That I am. I would shake your hand ... but Chaos is apparently contagious ... at least according to the 'Universe of 40K as according to Dan Abnett' ... and as I'm trying to get him to feature me in more Heresy books I can't really object to his logic ... so ... you wanted to interview me?"

**Lorgar:** "I'm looking to write a piece on the Fall of the Eldar and the Rise of Slaanesh-"

_Every Eldar around winces in pain._

**Lorgar:** "Was it something I said?"

**Eldrad:** "Just the name of the Great Enemy ... nothing important ..."

**Lorgar:** "Oh ... sorry"

**Eldrad:** "It's fine ... I don't expect an uncouth individual such as yourself to understand ... well maybe if I say **Lectitio Divinitatus!**"

_Lorgar winces._

**Lorgar:** "That religion is **so** badly done. The basic tenets lack proper passion and the prayers brutalise basic High Gothic grammar ..."

**Eldrad:** "Then you feel our pain ... Slaanesh-" _He winces_ "-as an example of the Eldar state of mind is an embarrassment ... she spends all her time buying shoes and watching porn ... seriously ... what's that for an example of our species?"

**Lorgar:** "Highly embarrassing?"

**Eldrad:** "Indeed ...luckily we're working on a new deity ... Ynnead ... God of Sunday Afternoons ..."

**Lorgar:** "Sounds dead ..."

**Eldrad:** "That's the point. You do, of course, realise that by allowing you access to the details of our Fall we are placing great trust in you?"

**Lorgar: **"I assure you I have no desire to be cliche and betray you, even though common GW fluff-" _MEOW! "-_**damn** that's getting annoying - standard practice is to depict me and my sons as back-stabbing untrustworthy ... well ... Chaos Space Marines ..."

**Eldrad:** "And we're supposed to be arrogant ... OK maybe that has an element of truth in it ..."

**Lorgar:** "And I can be a little backstabby ..."

_They pause for a moment ..._

**Eldrad:** "Anyway ... this way to our archives ... I want a share of the profits by the way ..."

**Lorgar:** "5 per cent"

**Eldrad:** "6, we don't like the number 5"

**Lorgar:** "I noticed when I looked at your weapon profiles ... OK fair enough"

_**Vaul:**__ "And so Lorgar was led deep into the Eldar archives, where Eldrad showed him the ancient records of old depicting the Fall of the Eldar ..."_

**Horus:** "Isn't that sort of stuff supposed to be in the Black Library?"

**Vaul:** "Nah ... they only have the comic book and fantasy novel sections these days ..."

**Lion:** "So where do you fit into this?"

**Lorgar: **"I stayed there for several years reading through basic primary school education books before Eldrad trusted me enough to show me the real works ..."

_Eldrad leads Lorgar down a narrow spiral staircase._

**Eldrad:** "Apologies for the stairs - the lift's out of order"

**Lorgar:** "That's OK, I could do with the exercise ..."

**Eldrad:** "Ah ... here we are ..."

**Lorgar:** "What's this?"

**Eldrad:** "First hand accounts, Lorgar may I introduce you to Vaul, the Smith-God"

_Vaul stands up from the comfy sofa, putting down the DIY book entitled 'Killing C'tan For Dummies', and extends a wraithbone hand towards Lorgar._

**Vaul:** "Ah ... one of the Corpse-God's children ... a pleasure to meet you. Please take a seat ... I hear you wish to know the truth of the Fall? Well ... it is a dark story ... but one that must be told ..."

**Vaul:** "Have you guys got any snacks? I'm hungry for some ice-cream ..."


	47. Chapter 47

_**Chapter Forty-seven**_

_"I choose you! Barking Toad!" - Pokemon, the Catachan Years_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

To continue our short side-story ...

**Horus:** "So you basically told him all about the Fall?"

**Vaul:** "Not at first. I wanted to get to know this Primarch, ensure that his quest was just and true"

**Lion:** "He was, and still is, a **Chaos** Space Marine. What were you expecting?"

**Lorgar:** "That's just stereotyping El'jonson"

**Lion:** "Whatever. If anyone needs me I'll be in the shower washing my effeminate long white hair ..."

_The Lion leaves ... and so does the Ominous Latin Chanting ..._

**Horus:** "Girly-boy's gone to harass flower sellers and throw materia balls at people. You may continue Vaul ..."

**Vaul:** "Where was I ... ?"

_**Vaul:**__ "So Lorgar and I talked for several weeks about inconsequential matters, such as who had the largest breasts out of all the Sisters of Silence, and whether Horus really did declare 'Let the Galaxy Burn!' when assaulting just a single planet in a vain attempt at a continuity nod to Ezekyle in years to come ..."_

_**Horus:**__ "What? I said it first! Ezekyle's copying __**me!**__"_

_**Vaul: **__"That's the problem when the franchise goes __**backwards**__ ... anyway ... eventually Lorgar asked the pivotal question ..."_

**Lorgar:** "So what's with the wraithbone body?"

**Vaul:** "Alas ... a small accident ..."

**Lorgar:** "The Fall?"

**Vaul:** "It's related ... I suppose the time has come for the story you've waited patiently for ..."

**Lorgar:** _Retrieving his pens and scrolls. He switches several servitors to 'record' mode. _"Ready ... go ahead ..."

**Vaul:** _Settling back in his chair. _"It was a long time ago that Chaos first whispered into Eldar hearts ... during the time of the WAR IN HEAVEN!"

**Lorgar:** "What's with the all-capitals?"

**Vaul:** "To ensure that people don't think it was just an earlier version of the Horus Heresy. That little scrap between you Primarchs was a small incident compared to this. The galaxies crumbled, and the heavens themselves were moved by the vast energies released! This was a war between Gods, not biogenetically engineered superhumans. This difference must be emphasised ..."

**Lorgar:** "OK ... so ... the WAR IN HEAVEN ... what about it?"

**Vaul:** "It was where it all began ... Chaos that is. Oh don't get me wrong the Empyrean existed before this, but it was a calm and tranquil place ..."

_**Hazy mists reveal the Warp, about 85 million years ago ...**_

_Two warp-fish swim in the vast oceans of the Empyrean._

**Warp-Fish 1:** "Hey Harry! How's it going?"

**Warp-Fish 2:** "Not bad Larry. How's the wife?"

**Warp-Fish 1:** "Spawning"

**Warp-Fish 2:** "Congratulations old chap! What's their names?"

**Warp-Fish 1:** "Mally wanted Kally, Sally, and Hally, but I put my foot down and said 'We're sticking with Khorne, Nurgle and Tzeentch!'"

**Warp-Fish 2:** "How'd she take that?"

**Warp-Fish 1:** "We're divorcing ..."

_**We return to the previous flashback (do keep up here) ...**_

**Vaul:** "So peaceful ... unfortunately that did not last. The vast psychic energies given off by the children of the Old Ones eventually reflected in the great pool of emotion that is the Empyrean, and it was forever changed ..."

_**We return to that other flashback ... the older one ...**_

**Warp-Fish 2:** "Hey Larry! How's the divorce?"

**Warp-Fish 1:** "Finished Harry"

**Warp-Fish 2:** "What happened?"

**Warp-Fish 1:** "I ate her. Kids are mine. Harry; meet Khorne, Nurgle and Tzeentch"

**Khorne:** "Hmm ... food"

**Nurgle:** "FOOD!"

**Tzeentch:** "SUSHI! NEED SOME CHOPSTICKS!"

**Warp-Fish 2:** "Noo! Get them away from me!!"

_**Skipping back again (told you this would get confusing) ...**_

**Vaul:** "And so the Gods of Chaos were born, and the Enslaver plague descended upon the galaxy ..."

**Lorgar:** "Wait ... so the Gods sent the Enslaver plague?"

**Vaul:** "No the Enslavers just came to our galaxy because the Chaos Gods put the rent up on Warp-retail estate, and the Enslavers, being the hobos they are, couldn't afford it. So they came here ... and ate everyone"

**Lorgar:** "That's when the C'tan and the Necrons went into hibernation ... right?"

**Vaul:** "Indeed, but that's not important. What is - the birth of the Chaos Gods. Of course there was one still to appear ..."

**Lorgar:** "Slaanesh ... OH STOP WINCING UP THERE I CAN STILL HEAR IT!"

**Vaul:** "Forgive the Eldar, but they deserve to feel embarrassed about Slaanesh ... OH ME-DAMN IT, THAT IS ANNOYING! Anyway .... the WAR IN HEAVEN continued to echo for millions of years-"

**Lorgar:** "Yeah, that's a good question - what **were** you doing for all that time?"

**Vaul:** "Erm ... the Great Quest ..."

**Lorgar:** "The Great Quest? What was that?"

**Vaul:** _Shuffles uncomfortably._ "Someone in the distant past suggested it would be impossible to ... erm ... watch all the porn on the Internet ... so the Eldar, in their infinite arrogance, set about to prove them wrong ..."

**Lorgar:** "That was the Great Quest? That's what's kept you guys occupied for millions of years?"

**Vaul:** "Well it was a lot of porn ... and that's what made Slaanesh-" _The Eldar wince._ "-for when we finished, she was born"

**Lorgar:** "Where you actually ... for the entire ... ?"

**Vaul:** "Oh heavens no ... it got dull after a month ... then tedious after a year ... then mind-numbingly **boring** after a decade ... thankfully the Eldar weren't immortal and **died** eventually, leaving their descendants to continue on with the torture in the name of their species' honour ... it's just that when they did die, their souls contained nothing but memories of bad acting, atrocious dialogue, and more silicon than the average silicon-based life form ..."

**Lorgar:** "And all these souls eventually merged, to create a being entirely created out of pornography ..."

**Vaul:** "Exactly. When the collation of souls reached critical mass - Slaanesh was born ..."

**Lorgar:** "And supposedly ate the Eldar Empire and most of its pantheon of gods ... but I'm guessing that's not entirely accurate?"

**Vaul:** "That's what the Eldar would like you to believe ... truth is at first me and my kind were keen on this new deity ... at least us guys were. The girls weren't too sure, but when she slept with Morai, who as you might guess was never that popular with the guys, they turned their attitude around"

**Lorgar:** "Wait ... you all slept with her?"

**Vaul:** "'Sleep with' is a little of a misleading term here ... we're giant swirling vortices of energy in the Warp; when we have sex it isn't the most exciting thing in the world to watch. Like hurricanes merging for a moment, and there's no cigarette afterwards ..."

**Lorgar:** "I suppose I really wanted to know that ..."

**Vaul:** "You told me all the details, so I'm giving you all the details. Point is, Slaanesh was popular with us Eldar Gods. At least until her tastes became a little ... wild ..."

**Lorgar:** "Wild?"

**Vaul:** "Lets just say she was adventurism ... there wasn't anything she wouldn't try ... and when she started experimenting with rubber ducks we knew someone needed to have words ... unfortunately she didn't take it too well ..."

**Lorgar:** "She ate most of you?"

**Vaul: **"Oh no ... as I've said that never happen. That's just lies and propaganda the Eldar throw out to hide the truth ... no the truth was Slaanesh got upset, claimed we didn't understand her, that she was still seeking her place in the world, so we grounded her"

**Lorgar:** "You **grounded** her?"

**Vaul:** "Sent her to her room, banned her from that Noise Marine concert she wanted to go to ... then she sneaked out her window when we weren't keeping an eye on her and ran off to that crowd she sometimes hung around with, and I blame **them** for giving her bad ideas ..."

**Lorgar:** "I'm guessing we're talking about the other three here?"

**Vaul:** "Oh yes, that band of rebels. Thinking they're cool and all that ... Khorne with his leather and bike, Nurgle and that ridiculous haircut, glasses, and general mopy attitude, and Tzeentch ... heaven knows what Tzeentch was taking but it couldn't have been the soft stuff ... so Slaanesh ran off with them, and that was the last we saw of her ... until she came back the next day and demanded her porn collection to show to the guys ..."

**Lorgar:** "What about the Eldar Empire? Isn't the Eye of Terror ... ?"

**Vaul:** "Oh that's what happens when you combine warp-mints with cola ... try and avoid that, by the way ..."

**Lorgar:** "Oh ... sure ... thanks. Was that how you've got your body?"

**Vaul:** "The wraithbone? Yeah ... I was showing off to Lileath at a party ... thought it would be cool ... wiped out the Empire ... my bad ..."

**Lorgar:** "These things happen I suppose. Are the other gods talking to you?"

**Vaul:** "Lileath sends me birthday cards, but the others aren't talking to me ... except Khaine ... who rings me up every day to remind me how much I suck ... jerk"

**Lorgar:** "I think that's it ... thanks for your time ..."

**Horus:** "And the book? How did that do?"

**Lorgar:** "The Black Library didn't publish it ... they said it didn't have enough gut-wrenching violence in it and too much sex, which would make it unsuitable for their desired age range of twelve year old kids ..."

**Horus:** "And that makes a whole lot of sense ..."

**Lorgar:** "Yes ... it amazes me that you can have extended scenes of Eldar torture ... but no one can say the word 'f**k' ..."

**Horus:** "Anyway ... here's to the Black Library, may they continue to not make sense!"

**Vaul:** "Thanks for the ice-cream by the way ..."


	48. Chapter 48

_**Chapter Forty-eight**_

_"See these marks? Too precise ... only Imperial Guardsman are so accurate ... ah who am I kidding? Guardsmen can't shoot for shi-" - Last words of Brother-Captain Obee-Win _

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_**A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ...**_

_Two figures clash on a walkway above a great drop into the abyss, their swords meet with crackling energy ..._

**Warrior in Black Armour:** "Your powers are weak old man! Once I was the student, now **I** am the master!"

**Warrior in Gold Armour:** "Only a master of **evil** Horus!"

**Horus:** "Your point being?"

**Warrior in Gold Armour:** _Gestures to the broken body of Sanguinius._"You killed my son!!"

**Horus:** "No Tracy ... **I AM YOUR SON!!**"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Yeah I know that ... what's your point?"

**Horus:** "I dunno ... just going along with the _Star Wars_ parody here ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Dude, does this look like _Star Wars_? I don't see any annoying teddy bears and bug-eyed fishmen stinking the franchise up, do you?"

**Horus:** "We do have the Tau"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"True ..." _He suddenly remembers where he is and points his FLAMING SWORD OF AWESOME (and win) at Horus._ "YOU DARE BETRAY ME?!?"

**Horus:** "All I said was I would like to de-throne you and conquer your empire in my name ... and butchered anyone who said differently ... is that **really** that bad?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"YES! **I** do the butchering and the mass genocide of anyone who disagrees with me, **I** enslave the galaxy in the name of my own twisted ideals, **I** wear the cool funky armour and act like I'm the biggest badass in the universe - BECAUSE I AM! Is **your** name in capitals? Is it Horus?"

**Horus:** "Not yet ... sure that'll change when I sit on that throne!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Mal's on it"

**Horus:** "What? Why?!?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Daemons in the webway, need it closed for the time being until the exterminators arrive ..."

**Horus:** "Grey Knights?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"They don't exist yet"

**Horus:** "Tell me about it. I could have done with some Defilers and Obliterators during that siege ... but **nooo** that's not a 'fluffy' battle. Apparently using models out of their time-zones is a big no-no ... like to see the fool try and explain that with Pert; poor guy was so devastated when I told him he couldn't use the Pete Haine's IW list ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I feel your pain; Dorn so wanted to use a simultaneous Terminator Deep Strike but I told him that's **Lysander's **special rule, not his" Mimics_ Dorn's stuck-up accent._ "'BUT I'M A PRIMARCH!' ... cry baby ..."

**Horus:** "So ... shall we settle this once and for all?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Indeed ... like men ..."

**Horus:** "Like men ..."

_They stand and face each other for what seems like an age ... then slowly walk forward until they stand at arms reach. They pull out their swords ... hold them to their sides ... then drop them. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Come on then. One ... two ... three! HA! ROCK BEATS SCISSORS!!"

**Horus:** "Oh bugger ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "HAH! I WIN! I WIN! THE GALAXY IS MINE! MINE!! OH YEAH!! WHO'S YOUR DADDY? WHO'S YOUR DADDY?!?" _Starts dancing, a strangely disturbing sight with all the hip-thrusting going on ..._

_Horus stands in complete embarrassment. _

**Horus:** "Somehow I don't think this part will make it into the fluff"

_Snap!_

**Horus:** "Thanks Slaanesh ... I really needed that right now ..."

_**10,000 years later ...**_

**Lion:** "Hey Horus ... what's on your mind?"

**Horus:** "Hmm ... oh nothing ..."

_Staring out of the bridge window, Horus stands oblivious to the throngs of servitors, thralls, and other unimportant characters running around ensuring the universe runs as normal while our main characters do the cool stuff._ _Perhaps one day they may get a name ... but not today ..._

**Lorgar:** _Leaning over the balcony staring at the immense holotable below and its flickering image of a vast world._ "So this is Meredith IX?"

**Vect:** "It's a pleasant world, although the polar caps are prone to fierce snowstorms ..."

**Horus:** "It's an ice world?"

**Vect:** "No ... it's quite tropical"

**Horus:** "So there's snowstorms in the jungle?"

**Vect:** "No ... just the polar caps ..."

**Horus:** "Where they have jungle ... and snow?"

**Vect:** "No, there's no jungle at the polar caps ... hence 'polar' - it's just ice"

**Horus:** "But you said it's a jungle planet ..."

**Vect:** "Look! I know this is the main thing science fiction writers have difficulty grasping, but a planet is capable of supporting more than a single biome! They don't have to be like the **ice planet **Hoth, or the **desert planet** Tatooine!"

**Horus:** "So ... there's snow **and** jungle on a single world?"

**Vect:** "Yes ..."

**Horus:** "That's just silly"

**Vect:**_ He sighs._ "So what's with the green landmasses and white tips on the planet?"

**Horus:** "Wait ... landmasses? So there's **oceans** as well?"

**Vect:** "Yes. Ice, jungle and water **on the same planet!** It's screwy isn't it?"

**Horus:** "This planet is an abomination!"

**Vect:** "No it just has a healthy ecosystem ..."

**Horus:** "ABOMINATION!"

**Lorgar:** "Will you shut up Horus? So where's the largest Exodite community on the surface?"

**Vect:** "Hugsville. It has a population of about seven million"

**Lorgar:** "What? That many?"

**Vect:** "What were you expecting? Small straw hut communities?"

**Lorgar:** "Erm ... yeah ..."

**Vect:** "So a community of Eldar, having lived on a world for ten thousand years, and not having any Path-like structure to their sex lives, are supposed to keep a small colony of easily defeat able groups of twenty or thirty?"

**Lorgar:** "Well ... yeah ..."

**Vect:** _Mimes a phone to his ear._ "Briiing ... briiing ... hello? This is reality calling Lorgar ... could he answer please?"

**Lorgar:** "You're destroying my carefully constructed view of the Eldar species!"

**Vect:** "Sorry to destroy that ... but **we're not actually dying out**. If anything having Farseers actively ensuring **we never have to fight** most of the time means we're actually ... erm ... **growing**"

**Lorgar:** "And you Dark Eldar?"

**Vect:** "How do you think we can support such a back-stabbing society?"

**Lorgar:** "Good point. So you're not dying out, and in fact are breeding like rabbits at a hippy convention ... speaking of which; 'Hugsville'?"

**Vect:** "Why do you think they exiled themselves from the Eldar Empire? This isn't a Boston Tea Party situation here ... they left because we weren't 'rad' enough for them"

**Lorgar:** "I thought Kabalite society was all about 'make love, not war'?"

**Vect:** "There's 'making love', then there's 'making love while simultaneously eviscerating each other' ..."

**Lorgar:** "How does that work?"

**Vect:** "Would you like a demonstration?"

**Lorgar:** "I'll pass thanks"

**Vect:** "All right ... does anyone else have anything they'd like cleared up before we begin?"

**Horus:** "Begin what?"

**Vect:** "Finding the Oracle ... or were you just here for the scantily-clad tree-hugging Eldar chicks?"

**Horus:** "Great minds think alike eh?"

**Vect:** "..."

**Lorgar:** _Whispering._ "Say yes and we can avoid the hassle ..."

**Vect:** "I cannot say the negative to that question"

**Horus:** "... so that's a 'yes', right?"

**Vect:** "The answer to that is not the negative"

**Horus:** "... so is that a 'no'?"

**Vect:** "I can say without hesitation that I cannot confirm that to be true"

**Horus:** "... I'm confused ..."

**Lorgar:** "He said yes ... stupid Eldar pride ... so Vect; lead the way to ... Hugsville ..."

**Vect:** "So much anger and hatred ..."

**Lorgar:** "It's a stupid name"

**Vect:** "You weren't hugged much as a child ... were you?"

**Lorgar:** "Just drop it"


	49. Chapter 49

_**Chapter Forty-nine**_

_"What the hell? Where did my Basilisks go?!? Get Eldrad on the line; he'll know where to find this 'Thorpe' ..." - Perturabo, upon receiving a copy of the new Codex: Chaos Space Marines_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

I'm quite sure something vitally important happened last chapter ... but I honestly can't remember. Have this charming image of a grot learning to walk again after a double-amputation:  
_A small grot painfully crawls across the floor towards a DELICIOUS CAKE._

_**Grot:**__ "Almost there!"_

_**Mad Dok:**__ "OIZ YOU! GIT ERE!" Reached over and drags the screaming grot away from the DELICIOUS CAKE off the screen._

_**Horus:**__ "And what the hell did that have to do with anything?"_

_Meh. Must everything I do have a reason?_

_**Horus:**_ _  
_

_Returning to our story; Vect leads Horus, Lorgar, Cypher and the Lion onto the surface of the world Meredith IX in search of the Exodite village 'Hugsville' ... I feel dirty just typing it. What's this 'peace and loving' crap doing in my grim dark far future?_

**Horus:** "I hear you buddy ... so where is shitesville?"

**Vect:** "Up ahead, next to the giant sunflower-shaped sign and all the helium-filled heart-shaped balloons ..."

_They stare at the sign ... then stare at the village beyond. Laughing Eldar children dance around flower fields, while their parents sit on logs and play instruments singing songs of happiness, love and affection. A general air of peace permeates from the brightly-coloured houses._

**Lorgar:** "Oh ... my ... Gods ... let the pain end ..."

**Lion:** "When we're finished, we torch this village and set fire to its inhabitants"

**Horus:** "You know 'killing it with fire' is generally Ferrus' reply to everything"

**Lion:** "I now see the wisdom of such a demand. Truly the Emperor's cleansing flame is the only substance bitter and hate-filled enough to clean away such horrifyingly happy substances"

**Cypher:** "So ... where is this Oracle?"

**Vect:** "Probably not here. Remember we're looking for clues as to her current whereabouts"

**Lorgar:** "Roll those Gather Info checks, as Magnus would most likely say"

**Vect:** "Buy drinks, socialise, give sexual favours ... anything that floats your boat and gets us results"

**Lorgar:** "Good idea. You find a nice alleyway somewhere to lure people into with the promises of consensual fun"

**Vect:** "Please Lorgar, you make it sound like I'm not honest with my potential rape victims ..."

**Lorgar:** "You tell them up-front?"

**Vect:** "I like to hear them scream ..."

**Lorgar:** "You're a sick, sick puppy"

_Before Vect can reply (probably for the best) our heroes (and filthy Dark Eldar) are greeted by a old-looking Eldar warrior with a Diresword covered in hearts and roses ... with a blade encased in foam rubber._

**Eldar Elder (Now there's a typo waiting to happen):** "Greetings! How may I help you fine dudes?"

**Lion:** "Did he just call us 'dudes'?"

**Horus:** "I thought that too ..."

**Lion:** "Fire, Horus ... fire"

**Horus:** "All in good time ... greetings elder-"

**Eldar Elder:** "That's what I am!"

**Horus:** "No ... I said elder ... **elder!** Not Eldar!"

**Elder Eldar (Told you!): **"I am old ... and an Eldar ... you are observant young man!"

**Horus:** "Young? I'm ten thousand years old!"

**Eldar Elder:** "And you look so mature for your age! How may an old dude like myself help such sprightly young fellows?"

**Horus:** "What?!? Lorgar!"

**Lorgar:** "We're here for the Oracle of Oblivion ... do you know where she may be found?"

**Eldar Elder:** "Why that little whore ... I told her to update her address but no! They still come here looking for her!"

**Lorgar:** "Er ... what?"

**Eldar Elder:** "She gets Godlike powers and thinks the universe revolves around her. Power corrupts ... the corrupt get revealing leather outfits and a sexy makeover ... and before you know it she's slept with all the men in the village and buggers off claiming they're all crap. Now we get people like you who are obviously infatuated with her trying to find her ... so naturally come here"

**Lorgar:** "Is anyone else getting all this?"

**Vect:** "Well I had heard a few things ... but honestly what is it with people thinking Evil equals The Sex?"

**Lorgar:** "Because it does? Good people have too many reservations ..."

**Vect:** "Amen to that ..."

**Lion:** "Are you two quite finished? Some of us still have our souls intact here ..."

**Lorgar:** "Now there's something that's overrated ..."

**Vect:** "And morality ..."

**Lorgar:** "Who decided that anyway? You keep breaking it, especially in war ... and when married ..."

**Vect:** "No idea ..."

**Horus:** "Guys? NPC's in front of us"

**Eldar Elder:** "That's all right ... I'm used to being ignored ..."

**Horus:** "So where's the Oracle now?"

**Eldar Elder:** "Up the mountains to the east. She has a penthouse with her own volcanic springs-powered swimming pool and hot tub ..."

**Lion:** "Vect ..."

**Vect:** _Running off in an easterly direction. _"Already running man!"

**Lion:** "I'll catch up with you in a moment. Old man ... you've been helpful"

**Eldar Elder:** "No worries dudes ..."

**Lion:** _Holds up the Lion Sword._ "Now there's a small thing I want to do before we leave ..."  
_  
The Primarchs hold up their own weaponry. The Eldar Elder's face falls._

**Horus:** "Consider this fluff cleansing ..."

_Scenes of horrific and random violence ensue ... when they're finished the Primarchs catch up with Vect._

**Lorgar:** "I'm surprised you didn't join us"

**Vect:** "What do you mean?"

**Lorgar:** "Horrific violence? I thought you were into that sort of ... Vect ... what's in your backpack?"

**Vect:** "What backpack?"

**Lorgar:** "The thing on your ... oh sorry it's my mistake ... that's a child ... with another child packed inside ... sorry another child and a dog ... why a dog?"

**Vect:** "He's called Fluffy. I plan to kick him off a mountain ... while on fire ..."

**Lorgar:** "Why?"

**Vect:** "I'm Dark Eldar ... do I need a reason?"

**Lorgar:** "I'm now quite disturbed ... Lion you walk beside Vect"

**Lion:** "Not while he's got his kiddie-pack!"

**Vect:** "But I might get hungry on the way!"

**Lorgar:** "We've got summoned Daemons! Corn of Khorne to feast on!"

**Horus:** "Vect let the kids go"

**Vect:** "I think only one of them can walk ... the other one has the other as its internal organs"

**Horus:** "I don't know how that works and I don't care ... let them go so Lorgar and the Lion will both shut up"

**Cypher:** "Can I have the kid? Every anti-hero needs an annoying brat for a side-kick"

**Vect:** "Sure but I think she's slightly traumatised ... or catatonic ... whichever is the no moving, eating, sleeping or breathing part"

**Lorgar:** "I think that's death ..."

**Vect:** "Nope ... my mistake ... she's breathing ... slightly. Here you go Cypher" _He hands the child to Cypher, and then starts shredding the remains of the ... less complete one._

**Lorgar:** "What are you doing now?"

**Vect:** "I'm cold in this leather spandex ... I need more layers ..."

**Lorgar:** "You're a disgrace to sentient beings ... hope you know that"

**Horus:** "Will you two quiet back there? Gods almighty ... this is going to be a **long** trip .."

**Cypher:** _Talking to the girl._ "That's Horus, Lorgar, and the Lion. They're Primarchs. They're supposed to be the pinnacle of Human evolution created by a genius mastermind"

**Girl:** "They're all f****** stupid ..."

**Cypher:**"Wow ... she's observant ..."


	50. Chapter 50

_**Chapter Fifty**_

**Horus:** "Woot! Fifty chapters! This needs an extra-special episode!!"

**Dorn:** "Indeed. Horus ... you've been with us now for a while now, so the guys and myself have banded together and got you something cool ... to show our appreciation of you blessing us with your AWESOME presence ..."

**Horus:** "Aww ... guys ... you're the best! What is it?"

**Perturabo:** "An Imperator Titan"

**Horus:** "**Seriously?!?!** You guys are **awesome!!** Where is it?"

**Sanguinius:** "Look up"

**Horus:** "What ... oh ... crap"

_Imperator Titan falls on Horus._

**Dorn:** "Well that's made my day ... what's next?"

**Magnus:** "The intro recap:

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!**Dorn:** "Do they still need that?"

**Magnus:** "Quiet, we're not in this chapter"

**Dorn:** "What? Horus is still hogging the spotlight??"

**Horus:** "Damn straight I am?"

**Lorgar:** "Who are you talking to?"

**Horus:** "Myself. I need someone awesome enough to understand what I'm saying ..."

**Lorgar:** "Well tht's obvious; your stupidity is a special kind of 'awesome' ..."

**Horus:** "Say something back there?"

**Lorgar:** "Just reminding Vect how much he sucks"

**Vect:** "What? Hey you're the one who's in a 'committed' relationship"

**Lorgar:** "And that's supposed to be an insult?"

**Vect:** "I'm not the one who's surrendered his freedom as a man ..."

**Lorgar:** "Whatever ... hey Lion, what's up?"

**Lion:** "Hmm?"

**Lorgar:** "You've been quiet since we left Flamesville ... something bothering you?"

**Lion:** "Something about our quest ... something I fear we may have overlooked ... I sense great forces are moving ... forces beyond our comprehension ... and soon ... their evil plots will result in lame Plot Twists that we'll have to feign surprise at"

**Lorgar:** "Probably ... ah ... I think we're here"

**Horus:** "What gave you that impression?"

**Lorgar:** "The plush villa, the outdoor swimming pool filled with bikini-clad Eldar babes (odd considering we're high in the mountains and there's snow everywhere), and the large sign here saying 'Oracle of Oblivion's Residence'?"

**Horus:** "They're tricks ... no way this could be that easy"

_Seriously, when you make it easy for them they complain anyway. What's a narrator to do?_

**Horus:** "Give up and let me handle things"

_Screw that._

**Lorgar:** "I agree. Are we going to stand here gawping forever, or are we going to do what we came here to do?"

**Horus:** "Kill everyone?"

**Lorgar:** "After we get our information ... now come on"

_They enter through the main entrance, and find themselves greeted just inside by a Wraithguard wearing a maid's outfit._

**Maidguard:** "Greetings honoured guests. How may I serve you?"

**Horus:** "OK, that's freaky ..."

**Lorgar:** "Erm ... we're looking for the Oracle?"

**Maidguard:** "Miss Arienal is waiting for you. Please follow me"

**Vect:** "Arienal? Damn ... I think I know her"

**Horus:** "Anything we should know?"

**Vect:** "The sex was **awesome!**"

**Horus:** "Anything else less ... squicky?"

**Vect:** "She's a little ... odd. Spends too much of her time around Wraithguard if you ask me"

**Lorgar:** "We've noticed ..."

_The Wraithmaid leads them into a plush room filled with Wraithguard/lord merchandise, including the Gav Thorpe narrated 'My Life as a Wraithlord' DVD collection._

**Horus:** "This is freakier ..."

**Lorgar:** "Someone likes Wraithbone constructs ..."

**Iyanna Arienal:** "Oh that's me!"

**Horus:** "Are you Miss Arienal?"

**Arienal:** "Says so on the dialogue script, doesn't it?"

**Lorgar:** "So you're the Oracle of Oblivion?"

**Arienal:** "Guilty as charged!"

**Horus:** "Erm ... we were told you may know where the Final Key for the Gates of Varl is hidden?"

**Arienal:** "It's here" _Reaches down and picks up a coffee mug, revealing an Eldar-esque key thing beneath._

**Lorgar:** "You were using it as a mat?"

**Arienal:** "Knew where it was that way. You can have it; I don't really need it much"

**Lorgar:** "That's it? That's **it?** That's all there is to it? No epic quest ... no great battle? Just ... lift coffee reveal Plot Device?"

**Horus:** "That can't be it ... is this real?"

**Arienal:** "It's real"

**Horus:** "Not fake?"

**Arienal:** "Not fake"

**Horus:** "The Final Key?"

**Arienal:** "The Final Key"

**Horus:** "Opens the Gates of Varl?"

**Arienal:** "Opens the Gates of Varl"

**Horus:** "And it's ours?"

**Arienal:** "It's yours"

**Horus:** "For free?"

**Arienal:** "For free, providing you bugger off and leave me alone"

**Lorgar:** "Seriously?"

**Arienal:** "You have a hard time trusting people, don't you?"

**Lorgar:** "We tend to get screwed over a lot"

**Arienal:** "It's yours, now leave"

_Lorgar takes the Key._

**Lorgar:** "Er ... thanks ..."

**Lion:** "Well that was easy"

_A loud explosion is heard outside._

**Lion:** "You did that deliberately, didn't you?"

_Hell yeah. Now swing that Lion Sword!_

**Horus:** "What was that?"

_Lorgar peers out the window._

**Lorgar:** "Did someone order some fluffy artillery?"

**Horus:** "'Fluffy'?"

**Lion:** "Oh good grief ... they've followed us"

**Loudspeaker:** "This is the United Empire of Kawaii! We demand the heads of those who slaughtered our fellow cute and fluffy comrades! Hand over the Primarchs and all will be spared!"

**Horus:** "I've had it with those things!"

**Vect:** "Arienal; hand them over. Why should we risk out lives for a bunch of Mon-keigh?"

**Horus:** "Because these Mon-keigh have big guns and short tempers?"

_A dozen Wraithmaids level their Wraithguns at the Primarchs._

**Horus:** "And so do you it seems ..."

**Lorgar:** "Oh for the love of ... Cypher?"

**Cypher:** "Yes?"

**Lorgar:** "I've got a plan - listen up!"


	51. Chapter 51

_**Chapter Fifty-one**_

_"Dark times lie ahead Harry ... Ahriman's your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher!"_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_Surrounded by cute, fluffy Moogles with artillery emplacements, our heroes must rely on the quick-thinking intelligence of Lorgar, and Cypher's luck, to escape their new predicament!_

**Lorgar:** "Don't shoot! We have a cute little girl hostage and we're not afraid to pinch her cheeks!!"

**Horus:** "**This** is your smart idea?"

**Lorgar:** "You've got a better one?"

**Horus:** "Yeah! **Shoot** the buggers!!"

**Lion:** "Real smooth ..."

**Horus:** "Sometimes I suspect you guys don't appreciate how **awesome** I am!"

**Lion:** "Yes ... that's our problem ... right there ... you've hit the issue on the head once again, Horus!"

**Lorgar:** "Will you guys stop arguing?"

**Little Girl:** "You're supposed to hold me tighter"

**Lorgar:** "What?"

**Little Girl:** "Make it look like you're intending to hurt me!"

**Lorgar:** "Oh, sorry ..." _He grips her more tightly as they continue to slowly edge out of the house into the open mountainside before the Moogle army._

**Moogle Colonel:** "She's soooo kawaiiii!!! Don't hurt her! Moogles - stand down, kupo!"

**Cypher:** "It's working!"

**Lorgar:** "Don't jinx it!! Stay back! Or I will hurt her cubby little cheeks and make them red with pain!"

**Moogle Colonel:**"Such horrible fate! You monsters!"

**Lion:** "They obviously haven't seen the village we just left ..."

**Lorgar:** "You'll let us pass unharmed! You will do nothing until we leave your sight! Then you'll give us a 100 second head start while we run like hell!"

**Horus:** "**Run?!?** Run from **them?!?!**"

**Lorgar:** "You've got a better idea?"

**Horus:** "You seen the size of them? We can take them down easily!"

**Lorgar:** "Horus, it's the fundamental rule of the universe: cute beats ugly every time"

**Horus:** "You calling me ugly?"

**Lorgar:** "Among other things ..."

**Moogle Colonel: **"Fine! You win this time! Moogles! Hold your fire!"

**Lorgar:** "So easy ... come on guys!"

_Arienal and Vect watch from a balcony ..._

**Vect:** "That's impressive ..."

**Arienal:** "They actually managed to avoid causing massive death and devastation"

**Vect:** "What? I was referring to Lorgar not taking advantage of the kid-"

**Arienal:** "Not everyone thinks like you Vect ..."

**Vect:** "Too true ... so ... wanna make out?"

**Arienal:** "I'm washing my hair"

**Vect:** "You did that already!"

**Arienal:** "It needs washing again; I have the stench of Primarch caught in it"

_Several hundred metres away ..._

**Horus:** "Can you feel that? I think someone's mocking us"

**Lorgar:** "Who cares. I've managed to avoid effort! Lets keep running"

**Lion:** "You prefer running to fighting?"

**Lorgar:** "I'm a writer; having God-like powers is just a bonus"

**Lion:** "You're a disgrace to Primarch-hood ..."

**Lorgar: **"I'm happily married with kids. You can class that as a disgrace if you want; I'm still running!"

**Lion:** "I'm following only to prove a point"

**Lorgar:** "Which is?"

**Lion:** "That I need to prove a point"

**Lorgar:** "Riiight ..."

**Horus:** "Why am **I **running? I'm Horus! I don't run from Moogles!"

**Lorgar:** "99 ... 100 - here they come!"

**Horus:** "Then let them! I have the AWESOME might of a PRIMARCH! An **AWESOME PRIMARCH!** I can take on mere Moogles!"

**Lorgar:** _Suddenly stops. _"Won't need to"

**Horus:** "What?"

**Lorgar:** "Lion, could you hit that spot up there with your Bolt Pistol? I'm Chaos, so I don't generally carry ranged weaponry with me, unless I was Perturabo where I had a small Imperial Guard artillery company stashed in my pockets"

**Lion:** "Er ... oh ... I see. Sure"

_The Lion fires a single shot at an innocent-looking part of the mountain. The bolt round flies out ... and impacts. The explosion echoes across the mountain ... then dislodges the entire side of it. The ensuing avalanche destroys the Moogle army, but misses the Primarchs (and the House, by the way)._

**Horus:** "Wow ... nice"

**Lorgar:** "Why make the effort fighting, when you can use your environment to your advantage ... ?"

**Horus:** "A good point ... I have new respect for you Lorgar"

**Lorgar:** "It'll disappear by next chapter, don't worry"

**Cypher:** "May I suggest, my lords, that we make with haste to the Gates of Varl?"

**Horus:** "Indeed - onwards!"


	52. Chapter 52

_**Chapter Fifty-two**_

_"Hi-ho! Hi-ho! It's off to slay we go! With a dagger and axe and a frag grenade! Hi-ho! Hi-ho! Hi-ho! Hi-ho!" - Khorne Berzerker War Chant_

_After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan._

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

_With four of the six Keys of Carl in the hands of our Primarchs, this leaves only Alpharius, Vulkan, Sanguinius, Fulgrim and Mortarion to pull themselves together and do something!_

**Vulkan:** "What the hell? Is the narrator dissing me?"

**Alpharius:** "That's just your imagination ... so this is it?"

**O'Soryu: **"Yeah. We found it here during the first survey expedition and brought it to the Citadel. The design of the artifact doesn't match that of the Monolith-" _She gestures behind her at the EVIL WAR MACHINE OF BROKEN CHEESE_ "-so we guessed it was from a different alien species"

**Alpharius:** "You guessed right. The Key of Glory is Eldar in origin, not Necron"

**O'Soryu:** "What's 'Eldar' and 'Necron'?"

**Alpharius:** "... good Gods you guys really **are** a complete bunch of **noobs**!"

**O'Soryu:** "Noobs we may be, but we're noobs with Railguns"

**Alpharius:** "Touche"

**O'Soryu:** "What do you need it for anyway?"

**Alpharius:** "None of your business ... hey! Lousy Earth Caste members! Careful with that thing! If you break it **I break you!**"

_The Earth Caste engineers carrying the Key look at each other in fear, then move slower as they make their way to the Rhino._

**Alpharius:** "Once we've got it packed we'll leave you and the sleeping Necrons below us to get along"

**O'Soryu:** "Oh cheers ... do you want me to thank you?"

**Alpharius:** "For not killing and raping you? No need. I'm not into that sort of thing anyway, regardless of what the Marks of Chaos on my armour may say otherwise ... especially not in that order ... that's just **squicky**"

**O'Soryu:** "What's Chaos?"

**Alpharius:** "... **not **the Greater Good ..."

**O'Soryu:** "How can you live by such a principle? Where is the gain in working against a greater concept? A world of co-operation and peace?"

**Alpharius:** "Because it's naive and foolish. You want co-operation? A perfect society?" _He gestures again at the EVIL WAR MACHINE OF BROKEN CHEESE_ "That's your perfect society. Necrons are Order incarnate. They have no inner strife, no ambitions, no greed, no emotions flat out. They're united in purpose and desire to serve. They're boring. They're dull. There's no cool conversion opportunities. It's Jervis Johnson's perfect army - so simple it plays itself. You want to be like them?"

**O'Soryu:** "I guess not ..."

**Alpharius:** "Being an individual is all about being different. Otherwise we're nothing but simple cogs in a single machine. That's why I follow Chaos - I get to be different. At least until I lost my Legion rules ..."

**Vulkan:** "It's OK Al ... you can infiltrate against me any day of the week"

**Alpharius:** "Thanks bro, much appreciated"

_The Earth Caste engineers load the Key into the Rhino._

**Alpharius:** "Right ... we're off!"

_No sooner had Alpharius finished talking ... the building begins the shake!_

**Alpharius:** "And that's our cue to get out of here! Come on Vulkan!"

_Alpharius begins to run ... then stops when he realises Vulkan is not moving._

**Alpharius:** "Vulk?"

**Vulkan:** "I can't leave them Al. They may be xenos ... but I have **honour** damn it! They're innocents; I just can't leave them to this fate"

**Alpharius:** "sigh Being noble again?"

**Vulkan:** "I have to ... for my pride"

**Alpharius:** "Well ... I haven't had a good fight in ages. Alpha Legionaires!"

_Like ninjas, the Alpha Legion Marines appear by their Primarch's side._

**Vulkan:** "SALAMANDERS!"

_Like mighty heroes of old, the Salamanders storm out of the Rhino to stand beside their Primarch._

**Salamander Marine:** "The auspex is detecting a number of signals clawing their way up from beneath us"

**Vulkan:** "Flayed Ones Deep Striking ... or Up Striking it seems"

**Alpharius: **"Whatever ... been some time since I fought openly"

**Vulkan:** "Are you fighting openly?"

**Alpharius:** "Hell no ... I installed depth charges beneath us a while ago ..."

_KA-BOOM! KA-BOOM! BOOM-KA!_

**Alpharius:** "Hmm ... think that last one was a dud"

**Salamander Marine:** "The auspex is detecting more signals approaching from under us! And more teleporting around! Free shooting phase!"

**Vulkan:** "I thought that was just against infiltrating units?"

**Alpharius:** "Oh ... must have altered the setting on that thing when the Designer's weren't looking ... my bad"

_The Marines open fire as the Warriors and Immortals appear around them._

**O'Soryu:** "I've got reinforcements coming in!" _She looks at Alpharius_."Where shall I deploy them?"

**Alpharius:** _Flicking through the Tau Empire Codex. _"Er ... stick the Stealthsuits over there ... keep the Broadsides at the back .. and the Crisis suits can be led by you ... JIJO with those crates over there for cover. Use plasma rifle shots on the Immortals; they're AP 4 which will tear through your Fire Warriors. Keep **them** by the crates for Cover Saves. Lastly ... tell that Ethereal to stand behind the unbreakable glass window over there"

**O'Soryu:** "Yes sir!"

**Vulkan:** "Commanding Tau now?"

**Alpharius:** "Everyone's my bitch"

**GLaCRON:** ENEMY ... DETECTED ... PRIMARCH-LEVEL ... STATUS CONFIRMED ... NODAL LEVEL TO GOLD ... DID YOU REALLY BELIEVE ... YOU HAD A CHANCE? HA HA ... I THINK NOT

**Alpharius:** "Gold level? This should be fun"

_Dozens more Necrons teleport in ... and the action begins._


	53. Chapter 53

_**Chapter Fifty-three**_

_"What do you mean the xenos button is labelled 'Do Not Push'? That's obviously the lies of the xenos! Push the damn button! Push it I say!" - Last Orders of General Eisenhod_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

Ambushed by the Necrons, our heroes Vulkan and Alpharius fight off the hellish undying warriors of the C'tan to get the Key of Glory to the Gates of Varl!

**Vulkan:** "It's no use! For every one we kill ten more teleport in!"

**Alpharius: **"I know brother! We cannot avoid **more fun!!**"

**Vulkan:** "Our brothers will understand if we are a little late to the Gates of Varl ... but I cannot deny this is the most fun I've had in ages"

_The Primarchs stand atop a mound of destroyed Necron warriors and Immortals, killing them faster than their bodies can phase out._

**Vulkan:** "Space Marines! Fight like the Emperor himself is watching! Because he probably is the nosey bastard ...Tau! Fight like the Greater Good depends on it!"

_Various war cries emerge from the two sides, and the fighting intensifies ..._

**Alpharius:** "Free cookies to the winning team!"

_The fighting escalates to a level beyond mere words._

**Alpharius:** "WITH HOT COCO!!"

_The fighting is now EPIC beyond comprehension. Dan Abnett has __**nothing**__ against this. The fighting in this giant underground base now makes the greatest battles of the Horus Hereys seem like mere children poking each other in the playground. This is now AWESOME with extra toppings of WIN._

**Vulkan:** _Swings his Thunder Hammer and lays low an entire squad of Warriors, scattering their limbs everywhere._ "How many more are going to be teleported in do you reckon?"

**Alpharius:** _One blast of his Daemonic Weapon melts through a squad of Immortals. _"Must be a bloody large Tomb World beneath us! That's the twelth Immortal squad today - four Force Organisation Charts at least!"

**Vulkan:** _Blasts through the side of a Monolith with his Melta Gun (note: Living Metal is something non-Primarch individuals worry about) _"How are the Tau holding up?"

_O'Soryu surfs a Hammerhead through a squad of Flayed Ones, blasting them all with her Plasma Rifle._

**Alpharius:** "Not too badly. Needs some work on their style, though"

**Vulkan:** "At least they aren't cramping ours ..."

_A Crisis suit crashes before Vulkan; its pilot dead. Vulkan stares for a moment, then walk forward and tears off its two Fusion Blasters. _

**Vulkan:** "Need an upgrade ..." _He attaches the two Fusion Blasters to his Melta Gun forming an ULTRA MELTA (R: 24" S8 AP1 Assault 6, Melta)!!!!_

**Alpharius: **"Nice field world McGuyver ..."

**Vulkan:** "Lets heat things up a little in here ..."

_The ULTRA MELTA is unleashed, and promptly demolishes entire Warrior squads in a single turn._

**Alpha Legion Marine:** "Sir! Lords have teleported in!"

**Alpharius:** "Damn ... this means Resurrection Orbs ..."

**Vulkan:** "They might not have any ..."  
_  
They stare at each other for a moment, then laugh._

**Alpharius:** "As if any Necron Lord would leave home without an Orb!!"

**Vulkan:** "Absurd I know ... right lets kill them"

**Alpharius:** "Agreed"

**GLaCRON:** PRIMARCHS ... YOU ARE FIGHTING ... A POINTLESS BATTLE ... WHY NOT GIVE UP NOW? ... IT WOULD SAVE ME CLEARING UP ... YOUR PATHETIC REMAINS ... AND I DISLIKE EXTRA WORK ...

**Alpharius:** "Sorry love, we've got better ideas. Like kicking your ass!"

**GLaCRON:** THAT IS NOT ... A GOOD IDEA ... I HAVE NO ASS ... TO KICK ... I AM A PLATINUM ... LEVEL AI ... DESIGNED FOR TOMB ... SECURITY ... YOU DO NOT ... MAKE THIS TOMB ... SECURE ... PLEASE DIE ...

**Vulkan:** "End-of-level boss?"

**Alpharius:** "Seems like it ..."

**O'Soryu:** "You two go on ahead; we've got it covered here!"

**Alpharius:** "All right. Vulkan - you heard the lady! Let's move!"

**Vulkan:** "I hear ya ..." _He lowers his ULTRA MELTA straight down and begins firing. He burns through the ground and keeps on going ... down ... eventually ..._ "I FOUND IT!"

**Alpharius:** "Excellent. Keep the home fires burning kids; the adults are out on the town tonight ..." _He leaps down into the pit after Vulkan._

_**Within the Tomb ...**_

**Alpharius:** "It's chilly down here ... ah! Pariahs!"

_Vulkan fires his ULTRA MELTA!_

**Alpharius:** "Well they **were** Pariahs ..."

**Vulkan:** "Lets keep moving ..."

**GLaCRON:** WHAT ARE ... YOU DOING? THIS IS ... NOT SUPPOSED ... TO HAPPEN ... YOU'RE SUPPOSED ... TO DIE ...

**Alpharius:** "Sorry for spoiling your fantasies dear ... this way?" _He points left._

**Vulkan:** "This way" _He points right._

**Alpharius:** "Fair enough ... hey! More tin cans!"

_A squad of Immortals is rendered ... scrap._

**Alpharius:** "Keep moving ... I can feel its arrogance ..."

**GLaCRON:** THIS IS ... HIGHLY ... UNFORTUNATE ... I WILL ... HAVE TO ... BREAK OUT ... MY ULTIMATE WEAPON ...

**Alpharius:** "You don't have one dear"

**GLaCRON:** YOU WERE ... NOT SUPPOSED ... TO KNOW THAT ...

**Alpharius: **"Actually I just guessed ..."

**Vulkan:** "Found her"

_They stare at a giant glowing green pyramid. Sygils on the side move and twist across its surface._

**Alpharius:** "The central AI I presume?"

**GLaCRON:** YOU ARE FOOLS ... THE NECRONS PROGRAMMED ME ... TO UNDERSTAND ... THEIR AWESOMENESS ... AND THE PURE EPIC WIN OF ... THE C'TAN ... YOU ARE NOT AWESOME ... YOU ARE **FAIL!!!! FAIL!?!1!!!?!?!? SO MUCH FAIL!!!!!!**

Alpharius: "I resent that ... Vulkan ... Melta her"

**Vulkan:** "With pleasure ..." _He opens fire with the ULTRA MELTA!!!_

The heat consumes the pyramid and burns it to the ground.

**GLaCRON:** I'M DYING DAVE ... I CAN FEEL IT ... MARY ... MARY ... WHERE DO YOU WANT TO DIE? ... I'M SOO ANGRY ... BECAUSE OF THIS DAMN FIRE ... MY BRAIN HURTRTTESSS SQS QSQ qgihrghrgihsrighrih\ge 8 47t0 70t tt t ERROR: PLEASE REBOOT COMPUTER

**Alpharius:** "No ... I don't think so ... Vulkan?"

**Vulkan:** "Lets make beer cans out of it"

**Alpharius:** "Excellent idea" _He turns on his personal vox._ "Guys? How are you doing up there?"

**O'Soryu:** "The tin cans just folded. Whatever you did down there - it worked"

**Alpharius:** "Glad to hear it ... we're on our way up"

_**Up a few levels ...**_

**Alpharius:** "Right folks, get ready to move out ... what's this?" _An Air Caste pilot hands him a note._

**Air Caste Pilot:** "Just came in sir! It's for you! From the Ethereal Council!"

**Alpharius:** _Opens the letter._ "Excellent stuff. The transfer was approved"

**Vulkan:** "What was?"

**Alpharius:** "I've bought the Tau Empire"

**O'Soryu:** "WHAT??!?!"

**Alpharius:** "I own the Tau Empire; including all Castes, member races, planets, and ideologies ... so I guess your Greater Good is ... well ... **me**" _He begins to laugh._

**Vulkan:** "This probably isn't a good thing ..."


	54. Chapter 54

_**Chapter Fifty-four**_

_"Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's SUPER-GROT!"_

After ten thousand years of unending binge drinking and wondering where they left their wallets (and in which dimension to boot), the Daemon Primarchs and their Daemonically-challenged brothers have ended the Long Stare-off and combined forces to combat the greatest evil known to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Forces of Retcon and their harbingers, the C'tan.

Having divided into six teams to locate and recover the six keys for the Gates of Varl carelessly lost by their long-lost stoner brother, Primarch Carl of the Eleventh Legion, the Fear Loathers, our (debatable) heroes race to defeat the C'tan by obtaining the only canon-verified way of travelling back in time and defeating the Star Gods when they were young (and without their undying servants) - the Fish of Time!

After much careful plotting and cunning planning Fulgrim, Sanguinius, and Mortarion now set in motion their clever heist operation!

**Mortarion:** "We have a clever heist plan?"

**Sanguinius:** "Quiet Mort, don't let the narrator know"

_I know everything. That was me being __**sarcastic**__ earlier ..._

**Sanguinius:** "Dammit!"

_Our heroes sit in the cafe near to the exhibition hall sipping gently on bright pink cocktails._

**Mortarion:** "Do you think we can pull this off?"

**Sanguinius:** "Mort, we've been through this a thousand times already - we're more than prepared for **any** eventuality. We've planned this a thousand times, gone over every back-up and plan B possible. We've done the calculations, we've done the research, and we've done the casing of the joint. Mort; we're ready"

_Fulgrim walks in and sits down beside._

**Fulgrim:** "I asked them - they said we can't have it"

**Sanguinius:** "DAMMIT! I did **not** expect that to happen!"

**Mortarion:** "I mentioned that in the first day"

**Sanguinius:** "Well you should have mentioned it **louder**"

**Mortarion:** "Not my fault your stupidity deafens you"

**Sanguinius:** "What's this? Is this a backbone I'm detecting?"

**Mortarion:** "Possibly ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Ful, **this **is why Mort staying a virgin was a good idea. He's been snarky and self-confident ever since he shacked up with that mopy Daemonette of his"

**Mortarion:** "Leave Ev'rii out of this ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Or else **what?** You'll subject me to endless poetry proclaiming death is a release and all emotions should be self-obsessed depression?"

**Mortarion:** "Even worse ..." _He leans closer and looks intently at Sanguinius' hair._

**Sanguinius:** "Even worse what? What is it? What's in my hair?!?"

**Mortarion:** "Is that grey?"

**Sanguinius:** "**WHAT?!?!** NOT A GREY HAIR! MY BEAUTY IS TARNISHED!! OH THE HUMANITY!! WHY ME?!?!" _Runs crying from the room._

**Mortarion:** "Too easy"

**Fulgrim:** "Mort - you're starting to scare me now ..."

**Mortarion:** "So ... time to put the plan into action?"

**Fulgrim:** "I do believe so now pansy-boy has left the building ..."

**Mortarion:** "Ev'rii, you ready?"

_**Ev'rii:**__ "Ready and waiting!"_

**Fulgrim:** "Dude, don't hold a telepathic conversation without me. I don't want to keep looking at the script to know what she's saying ..."

**Mortarion:** "Execute plan MCR ... **now**!"

_A large amount of nothing happens ... then Ev'rii walks in_.

**Ev'rii:** "Here you go" _She hands Mort the Key of Desire._

**Fulgrim:** "That's impressive ... how did you do that?"

**Mortarion:** "It's quite simple ... while you lot were busy getting laid I was doing some research. I learned that the Key would be displayed at the museum and made arrangements thanks to a very kind port security chief ,who wanted his kids scared into going back to school, to have the  
Key replaced with a cunningly-made replica provided by a bored Slaaneshi-worshipping counterfeiter with **exceptional** skills heightened by his line of religon"

**Fulgrim:** "So the Key back there ... ?"

**Mortarion:** "Is a fake"

**Fulgrim:** "And the real one?"

**Mortarion:** "Was hidden with Ev'rii all this time"

**Fulgrim:** "... where? Because she isn't exactly wearing much ..."

**Ev'rii:** "Lets not go into details ..."

**Fulgrim:** "A good idea ..."

**Mortarion:** "Anyway, we have the Key, so we should move. If you'd like to collect Sanguinius, Ev'rii, from whatever pit of despair he's currently occupying ..."

**Arhra:** "Not so fast ... you did good work there"

**Mortarion:** "I was hoping to avoid you ... what do you want? Whatever it is we're not interested. You Eldar only mess things up"

**Arhra:** "And you Humans are what? Perfect?"

**Fulgrim:** "Damn straight!"

**Arhra:** "And the Horus Heresy?"

**Fulgrim:** "Was a damn perfect civil war!"

**Arhra:** "Ah ... touche ... you succeeded in your task, and for that I congratulate you and extend this offer:"

_He placed a small crystal on the table and hovers a hand over it. The crystal glows for a second, then a three-dimensional image appears just above of two Eldar women engaged in a hot, naked make-out session._

**Arhra:** "Crap ... wrong one ... sorry about that"

_He swaps the crystal over for another, and plays it. The image of an eye hanging above a pyramid appears._

**Voice:** "Greetings Primarchs. We are the Illuminati. For two editions we have hidden, waiting, allowing ourselves to be believed de-canonised from the fluff. Now our time approaches! A great uprising is occuring, and those thought lost in the mists of time and eBay will arise! Join our crusade, and we shall restore the galaxy to its dark and gothic past! There is no penalty in refusing this offer, merely missing out on a great opportunity. Please log your response with our contact officer, thank you .... now how do I turn this thing off? ... the blue button ... what blue button? THERE IS NO BLUE BUTTON I TELL YOU!! STOP SAYING ... oh ... there it is ..."

**Mortarion:** "I thought the Illuminati was against Chaos? Why are you serving them?"

**Arhra:** "War makes strange bedfellows ... we've become aware of factors requiring us to join forces"

**Fulgrim:** "What factors?"

**Arhra:** "The greatest weapon in this universe. That which the C'tan seek ..."

_**We cut to the IMPERIAL WEBWAY PLOT DEVICE to see several Necron Lords walk out carrying a strange metal artifact ...**_

**Deceiver:** "You have it?"

**Necron Lord:** "Yes my lord" _Hands the artifact to the C'tan._

**Deceiver:** "At last! The greatest weapon in the known galaxy!"

_**Arhra:**__ "Alan Merrett's laptop! With it ... the C'tan can re-write this universe as they see fit!"_

**Deceiver:** "Damn! Password protected!"

_**Arhra:**__ "We have a limited time ... before our universe is dumbed-down for the masses of ten-year-olds and their limitless cash!"_


	55. Chapter 55

_**Chapter Fifty-five**_

_"Nothing wakes me up in the mornings just like genuine Catachan coffee ... made from real Catachan mud!"_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

A small flotilla of ships hang in space before the great rift of turbulent energies. A single ship stands out from the rest; decked in towering spires and great banners of gold and red hang from them supported by iron rods to maintain their shape in the zero gravity. The banners proudly proclaim the ship to be the Angrinator, _the capital ship of the World Eaters Legion ..._

_On board the ship, on its command deck, a great figure strides repeatedly across the width of the observation balcony ..._

**Angron:** "Damn bloody brothers of mine are late!"

**Konrad:** "Relax ... they've probably been held up in traffic. Or they've found that 24 hour _Halo 3_ tournament world I had to tear Khan away from"

**Khan:** "You separated me from Master Chief; you are not currently in my opinion of beneficial contempt ..."

**Konrad:** "Whatever ... my point being we found our Key surprisingly quickly; the others might not have been so lucky ..."

_They look at the Key of Battle as it rests on the planning table before them. _

**Angron:** "It's kinda ... dull ... shouldn't it be glowing?"

**Konrad:** "Why should it be glowing?"

**Angron:** "I thought all cool epic and rare **** was supposed to glow?"

**Konrad:** "Man ... that's fiction ... this is real life ... cool stuff doesn't always glow. Otherwise we'd be fething lighthouses 24/7!"

_A lithe figure wanders onto the balcony, two great rending claws folded behind her. _

**Kerrigan:** "So what's up?"

**Konrad:** "Franchise characters only here dear ... Tyranid wannabies get their own little area downstairs"

**Kerrigan:** "That's the children's crèche!"

**Konrad:** "Yeah ... I know ... how old is the _Starcraft _franchise?"

**Kerrigan:** "About-"

**Konrad:** "That's sweet; have a cup of STFU" _Holds up a coffee mug with the letters 'STFU' written on the side._

**Kerrigan**:"That better be coffee or else I'm kicking your ass"

**Konrad:** "I'd love to see you try"

**Angron:** "Quiet! Both of you! While it'll amuse me no end to see my girlfriend kick your ass Kon-" _Konrad scoffs in derision_. "-I've better things to do ..." _He notices the Communications Thrall running towards him_. "Like finding out what Bob wants"

**Communications Thrall:** "It's Pete sir, Bob's the one with the Chaos sigil on his **right** cheek"

**Angron:** "Like I care - be grateful you've got a name"

**Pete:** "Err ... yeah ... thanks my lord. Anyway - he's an astropathic transmission received just now. It's from Lord Ferrus Manus! He's just arrived in-system and wishes to speak with you immediately"

**Angron:** "As soon as his ship approaches range have him come over on a shuttle craft or teleport - whatever takes his fancy"

**Pete:** "He anticipated that response sir. He told me to tell you to, and I quote in his exact words, 'Move your fat ass over to the _l77t h4x0r_ immediately, you lazy bastard'"

**Angron:** "Oh did he? Well you can tell him-" _He stops as another Thrall runs up to him._

**Other Thrall:** "Astropathic transmission from Lord Rogal Dorn! He's arrived in-system and wishes to speak with you urgently!"

**Angron:** "Oh really? At the same time? Do they expect me to clone myself now Bob?"

**Thrall:** "I'm Jeff sir, Bob's the one with the sigil on his forehead"

**Pete:** "I thought it was right cheek?"

**Jeff:** "No that's Alice ..."

**Angron:** "Enough! I don't care! You're all Thralls 1, 2, and so on to me!"

**Thrall 1:** "Oh damn ..."

**Thrall 2:** "It was fun having names ... even if it didn't last long ..."

**Thrall 1:** "Yeah ..."

**Thrall 3:** "I agree"

**Angron:** "Where the hell did you come from?"

**Thrall 3:** "I've been waiting here patiently for ages sir ... it's an astropathic-"

**Angron:** "Who the hell is it?"

**Thrall 3:** "Lord Sanguinius sir ... he requests-"

**Angron:** "An immediate meeting with me? Who the hell are these people? And why is it only the loyalists are requesting my presence?"

**Thrall 1:** "Lord Ferrus Manus anticipated that exasperated comment, my lord, so told me to repeat, and I quote, 'Because the traitor Primarchs don't give a ****'"

**Konrad:** "That is so true" _Crushes his second can of Grotweiser ..._

**Angron:** "Anyone else?"

**Thrall 4:** "Hello"

**Angron:** "For for the love of ..."

**Thrall 4:** "Lord Vulkan wants you to know he thinks you're awesome"

**Angron:** "Really?"

**Thrall 4:** "No he thinks you're full of crap and he wants to talk to you immediately"

**Angron:** _Crushes the Thrall's head in a single giant fist._ "ANYONE ELSE?"

**Thrall 5:** "Lord Horus wants you to stop pissing around and tell him where the bar is 'cause he's fething thirsty and wants a drink before he kills everyone"

**Angron:** "THAT'S getting to the fething point! Tell him it's over here! Drinks are on Khan!"

**Khan:** "That is **not** satisfactory!"

**Angron:** "Well ... I'm getting some so **screw you**!"

**Kerrigan:** "I can tell you who you **can** screw ..."

**Konrad:** "You did **not** just say that! What, did getting absorbed by a poor-man's Tyranid rip-off destroy your sense of humour and **ability to construct decent innuendo??!**"

**Kerrigan:** "Hey, screw you! You have no idea how much a Zerg-enhanced menstrual cycle **sucks!**"

**Konrad:** ".... OK I seriously **DID NOT WANT TO KNOW THAT!**"

**Kerrigan:** "Men! You're all alike! You can't handle what us women have to endure every day!"

**Konrad:** "Oh yeah! Because you all suffer so much! Periods! Childbirth! Menopause! Worrying about your looks in the face of society's increasing social pressure on looking constantly young and beautiful! Well guess what - being a man sucks. Being a genetically enhanced man sucks even more. Know why? Two words: 12" **width**. OK ... that's three words ... my bad"

**Kerrigan:** "Holy ... that's like giving birth ...** backwards**"

**Konrad:** "There you go. Reason why us Primarchs are generally an angry bunch of stuck-up Neitzsche wannabies ... we're frankly quite lonely ... and bitter about it ... hey ... look at me getting all serious in a comical parody ... we should start joking about something ..."

**Kerrigan:** "I'm sorry Konrad ..."

**Konrad:** "Hey look ... no biggie ... we're designed to be saviour of Humanity ... not create more of it ..."

**Kerrigan:** "But ... but Angron and me ..."

**Konrad:** "He's always had a small one ... why do you think he's usually so pissed?"

**Kerrigan:** "Oh ..."

**Angron:** "I ... am ... going ... to ... **KILL **... **YOU!!!!**"

**Konrad:** "See? Anger! Typical rage resulting from a belief in insecure masculinity"

**Angron:** "SHUT UP!" _Begins chasing Konrad, to starts high-tailing it to the on-ship bar._

_**Several hours later ...**_

**Horus:** "YES!! BEER!!! BLESSED ALCOHOL!!! LONG HAVE I MISSED YOU!!!"

**Lorgar:** "A good point ... when was the last time we actually sat down and had a drink together?"

**Mortarion:** "First chapter?"

**Lorgar:** "Bloody hell ... can't remember that far back ... what were we doing?"

**Fulgrim:** "If I remember correctly ..."

_**Angron**__: "... and then I said to the Inquisitor 'Smite THIS!' and I cut his head off!" bangs on table, causing small earthquake in a nearby country that kills thousands_

_**Fulgrim:**__ "Just like the fifty thousand beforehand. Your capacity for imaginative decapitations must hold no bounds"._

**Angron:** "I don't like that memory ... skip to a new one ..."

**Russ:** "Wait ... what happened to that country you caused an earthquake in?"

**Angron:** "Meh ... thousands died ... who cares? What I remember is ..."

_**Mortarion: **__"He's being sarcastic you simple-minded fool. You've wasted the last five decades with your endless talks on conquest"._

_**Fulgrim:**__ "Inelegant conquest, full of mindless slaughter - has no style at all"._

_**Angron: **__"Well at least I'm doing something. What have you guys done for the last ten thousand years while Ezzie makes us all look bad with his Black Crusades?"_

**Angron:** "Me putting you guys in your place!"

**Fulgrim:** "Wow ... Mort had a backbone back then! Where did that disappear in between then and your character development ... and girlfriend"

**Mortarion:** _Shrugs._ "The whims of the Dark Gods are not ours to know or understand ... or the narrator for that matter ..."

**Angron:** "Weren't you writing a book?"

**Lorgar:** "Book 675,893,920,910? Finished it yesterday on the way here ..."

_A collective silence descends upon the Primarchs ..._

**Mortarion:** "You know what? I retract the statement I made in the first chapter - we don't suck. Six Keys in only a month ... dudes ... we **rock**!"

**Dorn:** "Hell yeah ... we beat the crap out of Privateer Press' upstart wannabies ..."

**Russ:** "Kicked the forces of Hasbro to the curb ..."

**Mortarion:** "Outsmarted the Eldar ..."

**Alpharius:** "Bought an Empire ..."

**Konrad:** "Watched the entire series of _The Sopranos _in one **epic** sitting ..."

**Horus:** "And twice defeated an army of Moogles!"

**Perturabo:** "Dude ... **not** cool"

_General laughter at Horus' expense._

**Mortarion:** "Brothers ... I do believe we're generally awesome ... with a little bit of win ..."

_General murmur of agreement_.

**Russ:** "This calls for celebration!! **MORE BEER!!**"

**Horus:** "I approve that response! I give it my official Horus Stamp of Approval!!"

_More beer arrives, and the celebration continues._

**Russ:** _As the others engage themselves in lively conversation, Russ leans over and quietly says_. "Hey Magnus ... you all right?"

**Magnus:** "Hmm? Oh ... yeah ... I'm fine ..."

**Russ:** _Not convinced._ "OK ... if you're sure ... want a new drink? You haven't touched that one"

**Magnus:** "No thanks ..."

**Russ:** "OK" _Goes to say something else, but Ferrus surprises him with Wolf-Girl porn he called up on his laptop. Russ quickly forgets Magnus._

_**Several hours later ...**_

_Horus stands alone on the bridge of his flagship, the _Ultimate Badass_ ..._

**Horus:** "Is the fleet in position?"

**Alpharius: **_Over the inter-comm. _"The primary fleet of the Alpha Empire is in position!"

**Konrad:** _Over the inter-comm as well._ "Man, cut it out. It's not funny any more. So you have your own empire now. Quiet"

**Alpharius:** "Dude you're just jealous"

**Konrad:** "Oh of course I am"

**Perturabo:**_ Also over the inter-comm. "_Will you guys cut it out!"

**Dorn:** _Guess ..._ "Quiet all of you! Warmaster Horus asked a question! Horus; my fleet is in position"

**Horus:** "Calling me Warmaster again Dorn?"

**Dorn:** "I think you've earned it ... still not forgiving you for calling my Legion 'Banana-marines' at that last Christmas do though ..."

**Horus:** _Grins._ "I can live with that ... everyone else?"

**Russ:** _He's on the inter-comm._ "Space Wolves are in position and ready!"

**Perturabo:** _Yup ..._ "My Iron Warriors are ready!"

**Kharn:** _Take a wild stab in the dark ..._ "White Scars are ready!"

_And so on ..._

**Sanguinius:** "Hey ... did the narrator just skip us all?"

**Ferrus:** "Get used to it. He's a lazy git ..."

_Whatever ..._

**Horus:** "Enough! With my awesome powers I declare the Gates of Varl open!!"

_A great big spectacular nothing happens._

**Horus:** "I'm sure something's supposed to happen ... are the Keys aligned?"

**Ferrus:** "I've got them connected right ... Lorgar?"

**Lorgar:** "Looks fine to me ... oh no ... wait ... we forgot to switch it on ... there you go"

_A great big spectacular SOMETHING happens._

**Horus:** "BEHOLD THE GATES OF VARL!"

_Two massive gates appear in the sky, covered in complex Eldar runes. A booming voice is heard throughout the ships._

**Gatekeeper:** "Who dares to demand the opening of the Gates of Varl? Speak now! ... After the tone ..." _Beep!_

**Horus:** "This is Warmaster Horus! Warmaster of the Imperium! Warmaster to the Emperor of Mankind! Warmaster of Chaos! Warmaster of Awesomeness!!!"

**Lorgar:** "I think we get it ..."

**Gatekeeper:** "Your title is insignificant!"

**Horus:** "What??!?! But I'm **Warmaster!**"

**Gatekeeper:** "I said **INSIGNIFICANT!** You demand to pass through the Gates, then you must pass the Great Test!"

**Horus:** "Fine ... whatever. Test us on anything!"

**Gatekeeper:** "So be it ... the Great Test begins! Answer the following question and you may pass ..."

**Lorgar:** "Ask away Gatekeeper!"

_Dramatic music ..._

**Gatekeeper:** "What is Chaos?"

**Horus:** "Easy - spikes and evil!"

**Gatekeeper:** "Wrong"

**Lorgar:** "Fanatical worship?"

**Gatekeeper:** "Wrong again"

**Russ:** "Witchery!"

**Gatekeeper:** "Oh ... so **wrong!**"

**Lion:** "The abomination!"

**Gatekeeper:** "So wrong, so wrong, so wrrrrong"

**Perturabo:** "Power!"

**Gatekeeper:** "I can't hear you over how **wrong** you are!"

**Dorn:** "Dammit! How comes the Daemon Primarchs are getting all this wrong?"

**Horus:** "But I'm ... Warmaster!"

_They begin to argue and bicker ... but amongst this noise a single voice rings out and stuns all into silence ..._

**Magnus:** "What is Chaos **not?**"

**Gatekeeper:** "Correct"

**Horus:** "What the hell? That's just another question! How can that be the answer?"

**Magnus:** "It's a trick question. Chaos is, by definition, beyond description and categorisation. It's easier to describe Chaos by describing what it isn't"

**Horus:** "So what isn't Chaos?"

**Magnus:** "That's a trick question. Every thing's Chaos"

**Horus:** "Wow ... my mind's blown ..."

_The Gates open ... and a bright shining world lies beyond._

**Magnus:** "Guys ... I can't follow you ... there's something I need to do ... I'll catch up with you later"

**Thrall:** "My lord Horus, the Thousand Sons are moving away!"

**Horus:** "Dammit Magnus! Where are you going?"

**Thrall:** "Sir! The Space Wolves are following!"

**Russ:** "Wherever he's going, he's not going without me!"

**Horus:** "Fine! Have your own subplot! I'll continue the main quest without you! Fleets! With me! Full ahead through the Gates of Varl! The Fish of Time awaits!!!"

_As the Thousand Sons and the Space Wolves separate from the fleet, the other Primarchs head through the Gates of Varl to the unknown world beyond ..._


	56. Chapter 56

_**Chapter Fifty-six**_

_"I cast Storm of the Emperor's Wrath at the darkness!!"_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

A small world orbits a dying sun, a veritable dead world in the backwaters of the Imperium. No one goes here, save crazy people and teenagers looking for an awesome make-out spot in their stolen starships (if that's even remotely likely ...). It's here, at this world, that the combined fleets of the Thousand Sons and the Space Wolves (possibly the most unlikely alliance in the 40K mythos) approach low-orbit. A single Aquilla Lander leaves both of the largest vessels in each fleet. The craft head towards a small point in a peninsula on the largest continent of the world. 

**Russ:** _Stepping down the landing ramp of the Aquilla Lander. _"What a dump ... no life ... no trees ... just snow and wind ... and the biting cold ..."

**Ragnar Blackmane:** "Like godsdamn **home** my lord!"

**Russ:** "Hell yeah! Boys! Spread out! Perimeter point! Don't get too relaxed just 'cause this place is a bleedin **paradise!**"

**Blackmane:** "You heard our lord! Wolves - move out!"

_The Thousand Sons Aquilla Lander touches down nearby, and Magnus walks out carrying a stasis chamber in his great hands. His elite Scarab Guard stand beside him, including Ahriman. _

**Ragnar:** "Hmm ... what's Ahriman doing here? I thought he was exiled?"

**Russ:** "I thought he was on Terra" _He approaches the Thousand Sons._ "Magnus ... Ahriman ... surprised to see you here. How goes the siege?"

**Ahriman:** "Terrible. It's a war of attrition. The Necrons are too well dug-in for us to shift them easily; they are using **our** fortifications now, after all. We really shouldn't have built them so well ... or at least given us override codes or something ... or a back door ..."

**Russ:** "'Our'? When did you consider yourself part of the Imperium again?"

**Ahriman:** "Since last week. Malcador signed the Errata Treaty. All Space Marines, whether chosen from the loyalist or Chaos Codexes, are considered to be Space Marines for things like ATSKNF and Rites of Battle. Plus your Terminators now benefit from Chaos Icons ... it's all cool and cheesy now"

**Ragnar:** "ATSKNF? You guys have it now?"

**Ahriman:** "Woke up that following morning feeling a lot more confident. Don't fall back these days as much as I used to"

**Magnus:** "Weren't you **Fearless?**"

**Ahriman:** "Hmm ... good point"

**Ragnar:** "So ... what are we doing here?"

**Magnus:** "Witchery ... you might want to find a snow drift to piss in while I do this"

**Russ:** "What are you doing Magnus?"

**Magnus:** "What I have to"

**Russ:** "Tell me. I don't want any unnecessary plot twists because we couldn't communicate"

**Magnus:** "I'm bringing Fred back"

**Russ:** "You **know** this isn't going to end well"

**Magnus:** "I know ... but my character development demands it"

**Russ:** "Don't be a slave to the trope! Fight it! Do the right thing!"

**Magnus:** "What I want **is** the right thing, Russ"

**Russ:** "Don't go arguing that subjective-objective logic crap with me! You know what I meant!"

**Magnus:** "I'm sorry Russ, my mind's made up. All I ask of you is to cover any **** that I may throw into the fan unintentionally"

**Russ:** "Aye ... I'll be doing that ... go on ..."

_Magnus walks off in the direction of a strange stone circle on the top of a great cliff overlooking the sea._

**Ragnar:** "Are you sure my lord? Remember when Magnus damaged the Webway with his 'warning'?"

**Russ:** "Firstly, stop reading the new Heresy crap. Secondly, why would I care? Traffic in the warp is a dangerous thing, and if I don't trust teleporters why would I trust a webway? Magnus is doing what he can to save a life and restore his honour ... and what are we without honour?"

**Ragnar:** "Piss-poor football hooligans"

**Russ:** "Damn straight. We're **Space Marines**, and Space Wolves at that! We do what we can for the good of Humanity!!"

**Ragnar:** "So committing mass genocide on an entire planetary population and slaughtering countless millions of women, children, and innocents because they happened to own a grocery shop on Prospero was ... what?"

**Russ:** "To demonstrate that we are no better than those we persecute ... we loyalists are merely Chaos Marines in denial ... time to escape that and start fighting for what we believe in"

**Ragnar:** "And what is that?"

**Russ:** "An Awesome future"

**Ragnar:** "With a little Win?"

**Russ:** "That too"

_Meanwhile ... within the stone circle ..._

**Ahriman:** "Are you sure?"

**Magnus:** "Yes ... I wrote the epic spell this morning. I only need you to reduce the DC to manageable reach by my **awesome** Spellcraft modifier"

**Ahriman:** "Very well" _He motions to the Rubrics to leave the area, the Scarab Guard to likewise._

**Magnus:** "Let us begin ... I call upon the eight winds of Chaos ... I call upon each by name-"

**NIGHTBRINGER: **"STOP RIGHT THERE!"

**Ahriman:** "Holy crap ... his name's in all-caps ..."

**NIGHTBRINGER:** "Damn straight it is motherfethers! I've got a scythe here with your names on it, and an extreme power-up to boost! Plus plenty of scoring units to make sure you don't win again"

**Russ:** "KEEP TELLING YARSELF THAT!" _Leaps from one of the stones onto the NIGHTBRINGER's back, plunging his spear deep into the Necrodermis. _

**NIGHTBRINGER:** "Get off!"

**Russ:** "MAGNUS! START THE RITUAL!"

_The Space Wolves descend upon the Necrons with bestial fury. The Scarab Guard and the Rubrics join the fray ..._

**Magnus:** "I call upon you ... Malal! Restore life to my beloved! I give her to you in exchange for my soul! MALAL!! **MALAL!!**"

**Malal:** "No need to shout ... I'm right here ..."

_Great coils of energy descend into Fred's body, and she begins to glow with unholy energies._

**Malal:** "Finally ... I LIVE AGAIN!!!"

_Fred ... or rather the thing that Fred now is ... rises and faces the Necrons._

**Fred/Malal:** "BEGONE!"

_Great coils of energy lance out and strike the Necrons, obliterating their metal bodies._

**NIGHTBRINGER: **"YOU LITTLE BITCH! I SHALL DESTROY YOU!"

**Fred/Malal:** "I think not ... ULTIMATE REJECTION!"

**NIGHTBRINGER: **"NOOOO!!"

_The C'tan explodes in a bright light of AWESOME psychic energies. The freed energy quickly escapes into the sky, taking time to write 'I'LL BE BACK!' in the clouds as it escapes._

**Magnus:** "Fred ..."

**Fred/Malal:** "Yes ... that was what the mortal was called ... she's still here ... she is me ... and I am her ... such an interesting mind ... I could not destroy it ... so full of life ... so full of interesting desires ... mostly sexual ... interesting use of mechadendrites ... yes ... much I can learn from her ... and she can learn much from me ... if I am to reclaim my rightful place as a god once again ... I must understand those who will worship me ... yes ... she feels greatly for you ... I suppose I do now too ... Magnus"

**Magnus:** _Leans over and whispers at Ahriman_. "Is Malal a girl or a boy?"

**Ahriman:** "It's a Warp God. They don't have gender"

**Magnus:** "I can live with that ... what shall I call you?"

**Fred/Malal:** "Hmm ... a name ... something to reflect us ... me I mean ... Omnissiah this is confusing ... wait what am I doing ... I can be my own god now - I **am **a god! Wait ... I can curse myself ... and take my own name in vain ... I need a name ... Falal!"

**Magnus & Ahriman & Russ:** "Falal?"

**Falal:** "Yes! It'll avoid the IP infringement ... and it sounds similar enough that my old followers will still recognise me ... hmm ... speaking of which ..." _She starts feeling her own breasts._ "Not bad ... wait" _Sticks a hand down her simple cloth trousers._ "Ah ... that's a relief. Thought for a moment I had it augmented ..." _She turns around. _"Show yourself!"

_A familiar strange woman steps out from behind the foliage. _

**Tzeentch: **"You could sense me?"

**Falal: **"Your energy tastes just like it used to, and you radiate enough of it a child could sense your presence from the other side of this world"

**Ahriman:** _Whispers to Magnus._ "Did you?"

**Magnus:** "Oh yeah ... course I did ... what? Did you think I missed the Avatar of a Chaos God hiding in the bushes over there ... course I didn't ... ahem ..."

**Tzeentch:** "Do you like the gift?"

**Falal:** "It was you?"

**Magnus**: "It was **you?!?**"

**Tzeentch:** "Of course dear. I am the Architect of Fate, She Who Rolls Your Dice. Pray to me when you want boxcars ... or snake eyes for Leadership Tests ... except Psychic Tests when I provide a variable roll depending on your Leadership characteristic ... I failed Fred's save for her. I saw great potential in her ... and I wanted to see how much you loved her ... does this mean you don't love me?"

**Magnus:** "You're my god ... it kinda doesn't work that way ..."

**Tzeentch:** "It could ... I save you from Prospero ... from that ugly git over there-" _She points at Russ, who growls._ "-I've been looking out for you all this time. I gave you a perfect Legion-" _Ahriman looks offended, then realises it's probably not in his best interest to argue against who was behind the Rubric proper._ "-I gave you ultimate power ... and all the D&D books for 3rd Ed ... I did this because I **loved** you! I want you to be happy ... but if being with her will make you happy ... then ... I suppose ..."

**Falal:** "Oh! A threesome!"

**Magnus:** "I was **not** expecting that ... but I'm **not** arguing!"

**Ragnar:** "My lord ... am I hearing this properly?"

**Russ:** "Magnus has bagged himself two hot birds with godlike ultimate power **without trying?** Yeah ... the universe is not fair ..."

**Ragnar:** "No ... not when Fate Herself apparently hates your guts"

**Russ:** _He sighs._ "Like normal ... lets find a pub on this damn world ..."

**Ragnar:** "And if there isn't any?"

**Russ:** "Then by the Emperor we shall build it! And they shall come!"

**Ragnar:** "Damn awesome idea, my lord!"


	57. Chapter 57

_**Chapter Fifty-seven**_

_"Wondergaunt! Healthy food for your young Gaunt (of any genus)!!"_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

On the observation deck of the Ultimate Badass_ ..._

**Thrall:** "I think we're lost my lord ..."

**Horus:** "We are not lost ... we are ... somewhere I have not remembered yet ..."

**Thrall:** "We're lost ..."

_Horus backhands Thrall in the face, crushing his skull._

**Horus:** "Someone get me a new Thrall! This one's suffered Unfortunate"

**Lorgar:** _Over the intercomm._ "Unfortunate?"

**Horus:** "Unfortunate That He Annoyed Horus"

**Lorgar:** "Admit it - he had a point. We're lost"

**Horus:** "We are not lost! I know exactly where we are!"

**Lorgar:** "So where are we?"

**Horus:** "Going somewhere"

**Lorgar:** "Where?"

**Horus:** "Somewhere that isn't here"

**Lorgar:** "That's screwey logic ..."

**Horus:** "It's **my** logic. Which pwns all"

**Lorgar:** "You did not just pronounce the 'p' there, did you?"

**Horus:** "If there is a 'p', I shall pronounce it. I am Warmaster. I am awesome"

**Dorn:** _Over the inter-comm. _"Screw the Fish of Time, lets just beat the C'tan to death with Horus' ego"

**Horus:** _Seriously considering it._ "Would that be possible?"

**Ferrus:** _Via inter-comm._ "Well we've managed to do some pretty crazy stuff lately, so I would imagine we could find a way ..."

**Lorgar:** "That's beside the point; we're still lost!!"

**Dorn: **"Sensors detect nothing. It's like there's either nothing out there, or there's a really powerful jamming going on"

**Lorgar:** "If it's nothing, it's very bright. I've had to put the blinds down on the windows ..."

**Horus:** "I'm just wearing my awesome shades ..."

**Lorgar:** "You would ..."

**Dorn: **"So where are we?"

**Horus:** "Where are we **not**?"

**Lorgar:** "That's a circular argument! You're not allowed circular arguments!!"

**Horus:** "Who says I can't?"

**Lorgar:** "I do! I'll write it down in my books - _Horus cannot use circular arguments_!"

**Horus:** "You cannot install anti-Horus rules in your religion!!"

**Lorgar:** "Yes I can! I can make a whole religion out of it! Anti-Horusism!!"

**Horus:** "That's not fair!"

**Lorgar:** "And I'll have my own little followers called Anti-Horustles!"

**Horus:** "I don't have followers! You can't have followers when I don't! I forbid it under Article 21 of the Warmaster Rights Act!"

**Lorgar:** "Screw that! I'm over-ruling it!"

**Dorn:** "I'm over-ruling you both!"

**Vulkan:** "Over-ruled!"

**Dorn:** "On what basis?"

**Vulkan:** "On the basis that I'm **awesome** and you're not"

**Dorn:** "That makes no logical sense!!"

**Vulkan:** "It does to me, and I count"

**Horus:** "I count double - all of you are over-ruled!"

**Mortarion:** "Can I say something?"

**Horus:** "No you can't, I'm demonstrating my superiority"

**Mortarion:** "Shall I tell the Eldar fleet rapidly approaching us to wait until your ego is satisfied then?"

**Horus:** "Eldar ... what?"

**Asurmen:** "Attention Imperial fleet! You will not obtain the Fish of Time!"

**Horus:** "Aren't we on the same side?"

**Asurmen:** "We're feeling capricious ... Eldar style"

**Lorgar:** "This is insane! The C'tan will kill us both!"

**Asurmen:** "But if we have the chance to kill both the Yngir **and** the Imperium? It's worth a shot"

**Horus:** "I sense a betrayal!"

**Asurmen:** "You sense wrong. This is a Plot Twist"

**Horus:** "Plot Twist Betrayal!"

**Asurmen:** "That's just being pedantic"

**Horus:** "Don't argue with me! Primarchs!"

**Lorgar:** "No arguing with Horus - that's **our** job!"

**Mortarion:** "If anyone needs me again, I'll be kicking some ass ..."


	58. Chapter 58

_**Chapter Fifty-eight**_

_"I was walking home one day when it struck me! Why not arm Guardsmen with Boltguns? Space Marines outnumber us 10 to 1, so they're in plentiful supply! Unfortunately I was struck down by Game Balance before my idea could be made reality ..." - Bob, Guardsman_

_With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!_

**Lorgar:** "It's a very short intro text"

**Horus:** "Do you want longer?"

**Lorgar: **"I would ... with better wordplay ... more prose ... more body ..."

_Hey, I'm not Shakespeare here!_

**Lorgar:** "That's no excuse for being lazy on the opening narrative ..."

_Well fine then ..._

_It is the 41st millennium, a dark and gothic future where joy is only found in textbooks and countless billions (with is a number, so kinda makes that 'countless' bit somewhat redundant) toil in futility serving a merciless government which cares not for the lives of its subjects, only their endless worship of a rotting corpse bound to the ancient techno-magicks of the Golden Throne. This is the God-Emperor of mankind, an ancient relic of times long since lost, of an age of reason and enlightenment cast away by a Humanity unfit for its glories. Now the God-Emperor sits immobile, in constant suffering, his mind fractured and assaulted by the great powers of the Warp; dark beings forged from the very emotions of sentient life. _

_Here, in this dark, bleak universe, we find our heroes; the Primarchs. Genetically engineered beings of incredible power, the Primarchs were once hailed as the saviours of the Human race, but their very Humanity caused their downfall. Pride, greed, envy, and basic Human ambition caused their downfall, and eventual civil war that almost destroyed the Imperium of Man. The Emperor's price for his belief in Humanity? Chained to the Golden Throne, his glorious empire reduced to a realm of superstition and fear. The Gods of Chaos granted powerful champions, and legions of unstoppable Space Marines with which to carve a bloody path through the universe. _

**Lorgar:** "I **told **him mankind needed religion. Now he's just gone and proved me right"

**Dorn:** "The Imperium of Man is an abomination against the Emperor's original Imperial Truth"

**Lorgar:** "The Imperial Truth is just atheistic propaganda designed to ensure Humanity's continual ignorance of the vast properties of the universe and realms beyond. If the Imperial Truth was, I don't know, actual **truth**, then Chaos would have been welcomed and embraced as beneficial powers for the Imperium, and not something to fear"

**Dorn:** "That's absurd!"

**Lorgar:** "Is it? The Chaos Powers feared the Emperor for his desire to harness Human emotion and starve them of their energy. They did what any self-respecting sentient being would do when deprived of their food source - sought out means to restore that source. The Heresy was merely a device to ensure Humanity once embraced their emotions and sought to be what nature intended them to be"

**Dorn:** "Barbarians? Blood frenzied killers? Religious fanatics?"

**Lorgar:** "Is it so wrong to feel emotion and to harbour belief? Emotion and belief have shaped Human history for as long as written records have existed. Since the earliest time of Humanity, prayer has been spoken to a God or Gods. Anger was felt, as was joy, happiness, sadness, and love. To take those away from us would be to deprive Humanity of ... well ... its Humanity"

**Dorn:** "And killing endlessly for Khorne?"

**Lorgar:** "A glorious display of anger and hate, of frenzy and bloodlust. Only when they exist can such emotions as compassion, love, care, and devotion exist. Black cannot exist without white. As white cannot exist without black. Opposites need each other. For the Imperium to exist, it needs Chaos. This is the Truth"

**Vulkan:** "Are we going to spend all this chapter debating philosophy?"

**Lorgar:** "I don't see why not ... the Eldar fleet is skill several Astronomical Units away from us and they're not travelling any faster"

**Horus:** "I'm bored ... I thought space battles were supposed to be fast-paced an exciting"

**Lorgar:** "Obviously you've never played Battlefleet Gothic then ..."

**Vulkan:** "To put it more simply; _Star Wars _lied"

**Horus:** "What? Darth Vader **wasn't** Luke's father?"

**Vulkan:** "Not quite ... essentially pulling off tight turns in a vacuum is incredibly difficult without extremely powerful force beyond the scope of such craft as TIE Fighters. Secondly, space is **BIG**"

**Horus:** "I noticed ..."

**Vulkan:** "Most space battles are conducted beyond visual range. Generally we'll be ordering our gun crews to fire at that small white spot just off the port bow. The Eldar fleet will probably stop when they're a couple of thousand kilometres away, in range of their guns but you won't see them pulling up right in our faces just so we can admire their pretty paint schemes"

**Horus:** "So we won't see them?"

**Vulkan:** "It'll be hard to tell them apart from the stars ... if they're reflecting much light at all. In this bright nebula, I doubt we'll see much against the background. Our only clue they'll be there is the sensor readings and the incoming lance shots"

**Horus:** "This is the reality of space battles?"

**Vulkan:** "Yes"

**Horus:** "Reality sucks"

**Vulkan:** "Yup. Also, in reality lasguns are actually quite effective weapons capable of burning through flesh, muscle and bone in milliseconds"

**Horus:** "Reality **double** sucks"

**Vulkan:** "Also, if one were to pay attention to the zygotes implanted in Space Marines, they are far from the invulnerable killing machines the BL insists they are. Headshots still work wonders, for example"

**Horus:** "Remind me not to remind people about real-life laws of physics ..."

**Vulkan:** "Oh don't worry. The 40K universe ignores enough of them anyway. Otherwise the Adeptus Mechanicus would send ground servey teams to every battlefield someone requested the use of Battle-Class and heavier Titans just to make sure the ground would support the weight of such machines"

**Horus:** "Why bother when virus bombs seem to work so well ... seriously why were they banned? What's the logic there? They're effective at killing xenos, we want to kill xenos, ergo we use virus bombs"

**Vulkan:** "Probably because the virus eats plant life as well, and the Emperor loves his trees and flowers"

**Horus:** "He's a tree-hugging hippy at heart isn't he?"

**Vulkan:** "Quite possibly"

**Horus:** "So can we start shooting at the Eldar yet?"

**Thrall:** "They're still out of weapon range. We could fire torpedoes, however"

**Horus:** "Fire them! Make something explode!!"

**Thrall:** "Torpedos fired"

**Horus:** "Excellent ... so ... erm ... when ... when is ... the bang ... going to happen?"

**Thrall:** "At current velocity the torpedoes will impact with the Eldar vessels in twenty-three minutes"

**Horus:** "You're seriously kidding me ... I have to wait twenty-three minutes to hear my explosion!"

**Thrall:** "You won't hear it"

**Horus:** "What?"

**Thrall:** "Space is a vacuum sir, sound doesn't travel through it"

**Horus:** "So I can't **hear** it? Can I at least **see** it?"

**Thrall:** "At this distance ... unlikely ..."

**Horus:** "Lorgar!"

**Lorgar:** "Reality sucks?"

**Horus:** "Damn straight!!"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**

**Horus:** "Have they hit yet?"


	59. Chapter 59

_**Chapter Fifty-nine**_

_"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" - Abaddon, upon discovering Horus _**really is**_ his clone-father_

_With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!_

**Horus:** "Have they hit yet?"

**Thrall:** "No my lord"

**Horus:** "Oh for heaven's sake! Are these the slowest torpedoes in history! We fired them **last chapter!**"

**Thrall:** "They've hit"

**Horus:** "I would expect so! So ... where's the bang?"

**Thrall:** "That dot there my lord"

**Horus:** _Strains eyes._ "Really?"

**Thrall:** "Yes my lord"

**Horus:** "I can't see anything"

_A huge flash almost blinds everyone._

**Horus:** "Now **that's** an explosion!!"

**Angron:** _Over the inter-comm._ "That was me"

**Horus:** "What the hell did you use?"

**Angron:** "I had the contents of the nebula scanned and detected a large amount of volatile gasses. The Eldar fleet were heading towards a particularly dense pocket of such gasses, so I ordered the warheads of several torpedoes replaced with timed detonation variants instead"

**Horus:** "Hang on ... Angron was that **intelligence** you just demonstrated there"

**Angron:** "Hey, if it involves blowing crap up ... it's other stuff that bores me"

**Horus:** "I stand impressed - be honoured"

**Angron:** "Screw that, I have better things to do. Fleet, prepare the port broadside batteries and turn our ships ninety starboard. I want to greet the Eldar with flashy stuff that goes bang"

**Horus:** "They're lance batteries Angron"

**Angron:** "Awesome. They go bang - I like them"

**Lorgar:** _Over the inter-comm._ "Simple things ...."

**Angron:** "Speaking of big bangs - where's our nukes?"

**Horus:** "Do we have nukes?"

**Angron:** "Why shouldn't we? They make huge explosions!"

**Lorgar:** "It's not really mentioned much. Kind of insinuated we have stuff that makes bigger bangs"

**Angron:** "Screw that - I want nukes. They have big explosions and radiation poisoning to boot"

**Lorgar:** "No such luck out here in space I'm afraid; our ships have so much radiation shielding as basic protection you'll be lucky to get a single baby born with so much as an extra toe"

**Angron:** "Bah"

**Vulkan:** _Over the inter-comm._ "Found some! Do you want me to ship them over?"

**Angron:** "Do we have time?"

**Horus:** _Looks at Thrall._ "Well ... do we?"

**Thrall:** "The Eldar fleet is still over one AU away"

**Horus:** "Bloody hell ..."

**Asurmen:** _Over the inter-comm._ "Dull isn't it?"

**Horus:** "You reconsidered?"

**Asurmen:** "No ... we're still determined to betray you ... although ... any chance for a cup of tea? We've been waiting here for you since Chapter 30"

**Horus:** "Wha ... wait ... **no!** No cup of tea for you! You're **betraying **us! Why should I give you a cup of tea?"

**Asurmen:** "Because it's a jolly decent thing to do?"

**Horus:** "But you're **betraying** us!"

**Asurmen:** "Well there's no need to take it personal. It's in the description on the back of our Codex"

**Horus:** "What? 'Will screw over any and all allies?'"

**Asurmen:** "No, arrogance. Look at it from our perspective. We unleashed a whole load of crap on the universe, and we need to clean it up. Before we could do that, along comes your Emperor and his grand scheme of mass xenocide and we're like 'Well ... screw that! We're not out the game yet'. So who's the arrogant ones now?"

**Horus:** "The galaxy belongs to Humanity!"

**Asurmen:** "Says who? I don't see your name on it"

**Horus:** "Well I don't see your name on it either!"

**Asurmen:** "Yes it is. Look at the galactic map, tilt your head to one side, squint a little, and hum to yourself. The words 'Eldar Rulz' is written in the Halo stars"

**Horus:** "That's stupid ..." _Gets out his map and follows Asurmen's instructions._ "Well I'll be buggered sideways with a grox ..."

**Lorgar:** "Damn he's **right**. What is the chance that a stellar formation thousands of light years in width and length will form the exact pattern required for the High Gothic script for 'Eldar Rulz'?"

**Horus:** "About as much chance as you getting laid"

**Lorgar:** "I'm **married**"

**Horus:** "Thus I am proved right once again. Right ... Asurmen! Fine. I'll admit the galaxy has your name on it, but when I have the Fish of Time I will re-arrange those stars and print 'Horus FTW' on this galaxy"

**Dorn:** "Erm ... and dad?"

**Horus:** "I'll add a footnote somewhere ..."

**Thrall:** "The Eldar fleet is almost in range ..."

**Horus:** "About bloody time! Screw the tea, Asurmen! Today your kind will face defeat!"

**Asurmem:** "Ah ... one small problem there"

**Horus:** "What?"

**Asurmen:** "Farseers"

**Horus:** "Come again?"

**Asurmen:** "Farseers. Know what they do?"

**Horus:** "Course I know what they do! They see into the future! What does this have to do with anything?"

**Asurmen:** "We foresaw this battle, and made appropriate arrangements. You'll notice that your on-board computer systems, designed and programmed in the Great Crusade, have in-built commands that prevents firing upon Eldar ships. You'll also notice that it's now shutting down all your engines and reducing power to bare minimum. You'll also notice the smiley face and 'Have a Happy Defeat' slogan plastered on all hololithic screens. Finally, you'll realise that attempting to use Ferrus' elite hacking skills to get around our virus will not work, as we've made sure that Ferrus is genetically incapable of countering Eldar virus software"

**Ferrus:** "Holy crap! He's right! I can't ... I just can't do it!"

**Asurmen:** "We bribed one of the Emperor's many scientists on Terra to alter some of your genetic coding, ensuring that when the time came we can anticipate your every action. An in answer to your reply: yes we can"

**Horus:** "You can't do that! ... oh ... you already answered that ..."

**Asurmen:** "No you won't"

**Horus:** "We will find ... a ... way ... to defeat you, and you already answered **that** one ..."

**Asurmen:** "End of chapter"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**

**Horus:** "Oh you're **good**"


	60. Chapter 60

_**Chapter Sixty**_

_"How sword, how I love thee ... oh stabby-stabby instant deathy sword ... my little Drachy ... wait ... is this thing still recording?!?! CRAP!!!" - Current most popular video on WarpTube_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

We join our heroes as they sit in separate holding cells aboard the Eldar super-Craftworld (like a normal Craftworld ... only super) contemplating the events that have led them to their current situation.

**Lorgar:** "It's pointless ..."

**Horus:** "That's defeat! I refuse to comprehend that concept! It's anathema to me!"

**Konrad:** "He does have a point, however. The Eldar have quite successfully managed to organise ten thousand years of Human history"

**Dorn:** "You **believed** all that crap Asurmen was talking about? That the whole of Human history since the Fall of the Eldar was a complex plan designed to open the Gates of Varl and unleash the powers of the Fish of Time!"

**Ferrus:** "Why not? I've done similar in RTS games. You plan ahead, place your pieces, wait until the moment is right, and if you can get your opponent to do all the hard work for you, then all the better"

**Horus:** "So I was a mere pawn for the Eldar from the moment I was born?"

**Perturabo:** "Seems like dad was as well"

**Horus:** "NEVER! Our father may be many things; arrogant, idiotic, with the mind of a five-year-old given his first plastic Space Marine box set, but a pawn for the Eldar! Never!"

**Vulkan:** "How can you fight an enemy that as already seen and planned for anything you do?"

**Horus:** "Do something they haven't seen - something they won't expect!"

**Vulkan:** "Any ideas?"

**Horus:** "HEADBUT THE WALLS!!" _He slams his head into the strange glowing walls of his holding cell._ "EMPEROR-CHRIST ALMIGHTY! THAT **HURT**!"

**Mortarion:** "I told you earlier ... it's Ultra-Wraithbone. Harder than normal Wraithbone, with twice the Hardness and Hit Points. It can withstand the direct impact of a Nova Cannon. Your head isn't going through it any time soon"

**Horus:** "This situations **infuriates** me!"

**Vulkan:** "I'm not too happy about it either ... my theme tune is suspicious in its absence ..."

**Mortarion:** "I can whistle it if you want"

**Lorgar:** "Angron, you've been awfully quiet ..."

**Angron:** "I'm thinking ..."

**Corax:** "That sounds painful ... you might want to stop before you do yourself an injury .."

**Angron:** "Not about escaping ... about Magnus and Russ"

**Horus:** "Of course! They're still out there!"

**Sanguinius:** "They'll come to our rescue!!"

**Fulgrim:** "If they're not trying to claw each other to pieces ..."

**Khan:** "Claw, is one thing Magnus does not do ..."

**Ferrus:** "I think he's been multi-classing as a Druid ... so he might these days ..."

**Horus:** "Enough idle chatter! I propose plan A for escape!"

**Sanguinius:** "Escape starts with an 'e' ..."

**Horus:** "... and people wonder why I killed him ..."

**Dorn:** "What is this plan Horus?"

**Horus:** "With all our ungodly power ... sit and wait for Magnus and Russ to bail us out of here ..."

**Perturabo:** "Amazing plan there mate ... utterly flawless"

**Horus:** "It's flawless in it's simplicity! No one will suspect us siting idly and waiting to be rescued - it's against our characters!"

**Lorgar:** "As much as it pains me to admit this ... Horus **does** have a point ... in a way ..."

**Dorn:** "Hmm ... well it has a shade of logic ... that's all I'm saying on the matter"

**Horus:** "Oh yes! Score one for the H-meister!"

**Perturabo:** "Your capacity to make me wish I was not related to you increases with each thing you say ..."

**Ferrus:** "On the topic of relations ... what else do you think the Eldar have done to us?"

**Horus:** "I've no idea"

**Lorgar:** "Insert some of their arrogance?"

**Horus:** "What a stupid idea! As if Eldar could know what arrogance is! Real Human arrogance will always be more arrogant than an Eldar! It's true because** I **said so!"

**Lorgar:** "Check that one then ..."

**Ferrus:** "Strange ..."

**Lorgar:** "What?"

**Ferrus:** "When I touched the wall here ... it moved ..."

**Lorgar:** "That's just optimism ..."

**Ferrus:** "Wait ... it did it again ... I wonder if ..."_ He presses an arm through the wall, and follows with his body, stepping through the wall into Angron's cell next door._

**Angron:** "Impressive. So when were you going to let us know you could do that?"

**Ferrus:** "I didn't know! Why would I know I could do that? **What **did I do?"

**Angron:** "Looks like you told the Wraithbone to let you pass"

**Ferrus:** "I can **talk** to Wraithbone? But how?"

**Lorgar:** "The Eldar?"

**Ferrus:** "But **why?** Why would they give me a talent that lets me manipulate the very stuff most of their technology is built out of?"

**Horus:** "Hmm ... could be a trap"

**Ferrus:** "Lets risk it, with me Angron?"

**Angron:** "Of course. Eldar are squishy, it we meet any I've got my fists"

**Ferrus:** "Lets move ..."

_Meanwhile, many light-years away ..._

**Arhra:** "That was a delightul steak. Exquisite flavourings and spices if I do say so ... am I picking up the bill?"

**Slaanesh:** "Of course dear ..."

**Arhra:** "I thought as much. So ... have they been captured? Ah! Waiter?"

**Slaanesh:** "Asurmen contacted me a few hours ago ... they have been made aware of their purpose"

**Arhra:** "The fools probably won't understand it for a while. They'll need to stumble around for several chapters before it dawns on them. They still believe they were forged to guide Humanity .... excuse me waiter?"

**Slaanesh:** "They will realise they have a much greater goal. We didn't take them from that fool in their youth for no reason"

**Arhra:** "Of course not ... I trust T has everything sorted? Erm .. waiter?"

**Slaanesh:** "She's with Magnus. Malal walks amongst us once again"

**Arhra:** "Excellent stuff. Waiter? Oh for the love of ..."

**Slaanesh: **"The pieces are moving ... the cards are drawn ... soon Arhra ... very soon ..."

**Arhra:** _Raises a glass._ "To an awesome future!"

**Slaanesh:** _She does likewise._ "To an awesome future ... excuse me waiter?"

_Fifty waiters appear beside her._

**Arhra:** "You slut"

**Slaanesh:** _Smiles._


	61. Chapter 61

_**Chapter sixty-one**_

_"What happens when you put a Bag of Holding inside a Vortex Grenade?"_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

Cue the Mission Impossible _theme tune as Ferrus, Angron, and Konrad sneak around the corner deep within the bowels of the Craftworld._

**Konrad:** "Is this necessary?"

**Ferrus:** "It gets us in the mood"

**Angron:** "But won't the Eldar hear it?"

**Ferrus:** "Dude ... only the protagonists hear the music. Antagonists never, otherwise the change in theme would otherwise warn them of their upcoming downfall"

**Angron:** "When did you become so genre savvy?"

**Ferrus:** "I hang around on the Internet. Spend enough time there and you'll have deconstructed reality into its component tropes"

**Konrad:** "Fair en- ... back guys!"

_They quickly slide out of view as a black-armoured warrior of unknown Aspect walks past._

**Angron:** "Why are we hiding from them?"

**Ferrus: **"Have you actually bothered to look at their level? Man; there's **gods** with less class levels than those things! I've no idea what they are, but we don't want to get ourselves into a fight with them"

**Angron:** "We could take them!"

**Ferrus:** "Perhaps, but we can't afford the delay. The whole point is to make the Eldar think we're still in prison - that's why Dorn made those papermache clones of us!"

**Konrad:** "Where **did** he get the materials for them?"

**Ferrus:** _He shrugs_.

**Konrad:** "Yeah ... I didn't want to know anyway ... keep a watch on the left - there's two guys about to come around the corner ..."

_And they do ..._

**Angron:** "I don't like all this 'hiding' crap. It stunts my style"

**Ferrus:** "That would be the 'charge in and kill everything stand, and if they're not dead after that hit them some more' style?"

**Angron:** "Damn straight. Been working for me for the last ten thousand years"

**Konrad:** "'If it ain't broke don't fix it'?"

**Angron:** "That's what ma mumma always told me"

**Konrad:** "You have a mother?"

**Angron:** "I was jossing with you. Don't be silly - I was the abandoned offspring of science gone wrong just like you"

**Konrad:** _Being sarcastic. _"That's comforting ..."

**Ferrus:** "So ... this way?"

**Angron:** "If the Eldar design their Craftworlds with a hint of common sense, the communication room should be somewhere near the main command bridge ... or whatever passes for it here"

**Ferrus:** "The Craftworlds were originally freight vessels, so there should be a centralised command room somewhere ..."

**Konrad:** "That's assuming Eldar spaceship design follows the Human version of common sense ..."

**Angron:** "There's different versions?"

**Konrad:** "This may come as a shock to you Ang, but common sense isn't. Even amongst members of the same species ..."

**Angron:** "Well ... anyone who doesn't share my common sense can talk to my axe"

**Konrad:** "Now there's a life philosophy I believe we all can learn from"

**Ferrus:** "Mine is simple: kill it with fire. Solves everything"

**Angron:** "I like that attitude. Simple and to the point. And it involves immolation"

**Ferrus:** "See? Everyone's happy!"

**Konrad: **"And people say** I'm** the monster ..."

**Ferrus:** "You are the monster. We're the guys who pretend we aren't monsters then wipe out whole ethnic minorities because one of them criticised our painting skills"

**Konrad:** "Enjoy your monster status. Shall I scout ahead?"

**Ferrus:** "What happened to your precognition?"

**Konrad:** "I found a scout assassin ball"

**Ferrus:** "Where? We were stripped of all our possessions before we were chucked in those cells!"

**Konrad:** "Don't ask. Your mind will thank you in later years"

**Ferrus:** "Good point. Scout ahead then"

_Konrad throws the A-ball, which opens up to reveal a small assassin. _

**Evesomon: **"Kill! Kill!"

**Konrad:** "Scout ahead little Evesomon!"

**Evesomon:** "Kill! Kill!"

**Konrad:** "Try not to do too much of that"

**Evesomon:** "Dull! Dull!"

**Konrad:** "Just shut up and scout"

_Little Evesomon runs off ahead._

**Konrad:** "Someone's blocking my precognition"

**Ferrus:** "Farseer?"

**Konrad:** _Nods._ "And a bloody powerful one at that"

**Angron:** "Just let me at him! Farseers are soft and squishy!"

**Ferrus:** "Ever played 2nd Edition? Toughness 5 is no joke to wound"

**Angron:** "But this is 5th!"

**Ferrus:** "Hey, if Magnus can change editions at whim, chances are the Eldar can. They're just as sneaky, and they're generally sexier to boot"

**Angron:** "Eldar? Sexy?"

**Ferrus:** "Ever seen _Playboy's Eldar Girls 42,078?_ **Damn** fine specimens ..."

**Angron:** "I'm in a committed relationship thank you very much"

**Ferrus:** "Man, it's like admiring fine art. You **can** admire fine art when you've got a girlfriend, yes?"

**Angron:** "You don't have **Sarah Kerrigan** as your girlfriend. Queen Bitch of the Universe remember?"

**Ferrus:** "Fair point"

**Konrad:** "Have you **ever** had a girlfriend, Ferrus?"

**Ferrus:** "Once. It was an awesome relationship - a meeting of minds and egos. Unfortunately ... she had other commitments ..."

**Konrad:** "What was her name?"

**Ferrus:** "SHODAN ..."

_Silence._

**Konrad:** "The mad AI from _System Shock_?"

**Ferrus:** "Yeah ... we met on a chat forum - .com - and found something in common with our joint desire to rule the universe and subject it to our joint tyranical regime ..."

**Konrad:** "How beautiful ..." _He's being sarcastic._ "What happened?"

**Ferrus:** "She ran off with HAL ... slut ..."

**Angron:** _Lays a hand on Ferrus' shoulder. _"I feel your pain. Many a women has left me for another man ... nothing's stopped me from slicing them both up though. I recommend that method of getting over the feeling of betrayal"

**Ferrus:** "Thanks mate. Appreciated"

**Konrad:** "Heads up. Powerful and scary black dudes are back!"

**Ferrus:** "Man ... that's **so** politically incorrect ..."

**Konrad:** "You know what I meant!"

**Angron:** "I know those guys ..."

**Konrad:** "How can you know them? You know nothing except swords and killing things!"

**Angron:** "I've seen them before ... at GoreCon last year ... oh GoreCon's a convention for all things killy and powerfully awesome ... they entered the annual arena competition against me ... I lost ... quite badly ... I never forget the face of someone who's defeated me ..."

**Konrad:** "And yet it's taken you this long to remember them?"

**Angron:** _The look._

**Konrad:** "I jest ... who are they?"

**Angron:** "The announcer claimed they were from the Black Library ..."

**Ferrus:** "Wait! **Those** are the 'horrifying' creatures that protect the most heavily defended Craftworld in existence!"

**Konrad:** "Guardians of the Black Library ... so broken GW refuses to publish stats for them ... they apparently make Jervis Johnson's kid cry at night ... **Super Solitaires!**"

_Dramatic music ..._

**Angron:** "Meh ... REMATCH TIME!"


	62. Chapter 62

_**Chapter Sixty-two**_

_"What the hell? Who stuck 'honk if you're horny' on the back of my Dais? That's ******* __**genius!**__" - Asdrubael Vect_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

Having been captured by the Eldar and their cheating ways, our heroes must find a way to escape the Super-Craftworld they're held within - a task made no easier by the presence of the feared and legendary Super Solitaires!

**Ferrus:** "So what's so 'super' about them?"

**Angron:** "They're hardcore"

**Konrad:** "They're broken"

**Angron:** "It's said that Andy Chambers and Gav Thorpe once wrote rules for them, and Alan Merrett volunteered to playtest against them with his army. The resulting psychological trauma reduced Merrett to a vegetable. Only a brain transplant with a monkey saved him"

**Ferrus:** "Explains the epic quality of fail in the _Visions _books ..."

**Angron:** "Indeed. In the aftermath of that horrific incident, Andy Chambers was kicked out of GW and Gav Thorpe chained with daemonic wards that prevented him from writing anything to do with Eldar for a hundred years and a day"

**Ferrus:** "What happened to the Super-Solitaires?"

**Angron:** "Sealed within the depths of Jervis Johnson's basement, never to be released from their slumber lest the 40K universe be destroyed by cheese so powerful it would make an Obliterator and pie plate spamming Iron Warrior army seem positively **balanced** in comparison!"

**Ferrus:** "So they're broken?"

**Angron:** "A little ... yeah"

**Ferrus:** "**How** broken?"

**Konrad:** "Let me demonstrate ..."

_He walks out the scene ..._

_And into this one ..._

**VOID DRAGON!: **"GIVE UP TRACY! YOUR POWERS ARE TOO WEAK TO DEFEAT ME!!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"NEVER! I SHALL- oh hi Konrad, what are you doing here?"

**Konrad:** "Oh, just passing through. Have you two heard of Super-Solitaires by any chance?"

_Both the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! and the VOID DRAGON! are stricken by EPIC FEAR!_

**VOID DRAGON!: **"The horror!!!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"The cheese!!!"

**Konrad:** "Cheers guys. I'll let you get on with your fight now!"

_He exits the scene ..._

**Konrad:** "See?"

**Ferrus:** "Hang on ... how did you do that?"

**Konrad:** "That's not important. What is important is getting to the communications room without bumping into any of those Super-Solitaires"

**Ferrus:** "But ..."

**Angron:** "Don't argue Ferrus, come on!"

**Ferrus:** "He just ... oh never mind! I've come to terms with the fact none of this makes any sense!"

**Konrad:** "You hang out on the Internet and you're complaining about a lack of sense?"

**Ferrus:** "Touche ..."

**Angron:** "So ... which way?"

**Ferrus:** "Whichever way leads away from those Super-Solitaires ..."

**Konrad:** "Now that's awkward, as they could be either way"

**Angron:** "Waiting in the shadows like ninja, instead of standing in the corridors for us to leap out from the shadows upon like ninja"

**Konrad:** "Never had you down as a ninja type of guy ... or samurai for that matter (do you, in fact, have a sense of honour?) ..."

**Angron:** "Ninja are awesome ... like me ... but they lack Shurithirsters"

**Konrad & Ferrus:** "Er ... what?"

**Angron:** "Shurithirsters"

**Konrad & Ferrus:** _Blank stare._

**Angron:** _Pulls out a Bloodthirster beatend into a flat disk with his horns and wings forming circular blades around the edge._ "Shurithirsters"

**Konrad:** "How does that work?"

**Ferrus:** "How do you make it?"

**Konrad:** "More importantly; where did that come from?"

**Angron:** "All these questions ... all not important in the grand scheme of things"

**Ferrus:** "But-!"

**Angron:** "**Not** important Ferrus ..."

**Konrad:** "Fair enough. To the mission at hand folks - reach the Eldar commmunication array and contact Magnus and Russ! We need to warn them of our current situation and the betrayal of the Eldar!"

**Ferrus:** "And this will work?"

**Konrad:** "It probably won't. A plot twist will probably hit us halfway there forcing us to re-think our plan, then **another** twist will hit us and force us to re-think **that** plan ... then it turns out everything we've done was according to the Eldar's evil plans ..."

**Ferrus:** "Dude this is 40K **not** _Metal Gear Solid_. Black Library doesn't write such rediculously complicated stories"

**Konrad:** "In which case Chaos did it - because it **always**"

**Alpharius:** "No I'm pretty sure it didn't this time"

**Angron:** "Where in the Realms of Chaos did you come from?!?"

**Alpharius:** "I disguised myself as my Lieutenant before the Eldar borded and disgused **her** as myself. Luckily the Eldar were only interested in capturing us Primarchs and left everyone confined to their vessels. I snuck out by disguising myself as a Dire Avenger. I thought you guys might have found some way of escaping, but it was luck that I stumbled into Evesomon back there"

**Evosomon:** "Find! Find!"

**Angron:** "So that's not you in the cells back there, but O'Soryu?"

**Alpharius:** "Yeah ... I'm imagining she's pretty pissed by now ..."

**Angron:** "Excellent, when the time comes we have a secret weapon to combat the Super-Solitaires with"

**Ferrus:** "What's that?"

**Angron: **"PMT-fuelled pure **rage**"


	63. Chapter 63

_**Chapter Sixty-three**_

_"I'm Alpharius! No I'm Alpharius! No __**I'm**__ Alpharius!" - Alpharius battling multiple personality disorder_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

To continue where we left off ...

**Angron:** "So how do we know **you're** the **real** Alpharius?"

**Alpharius:** "You've been reading those fan conspiracy theories since last chapter haven't you?"

**Angron:** "I like to keep in touch with my supporters ..."

**Alpharius:** "Well, ask me something only Alpharius would know"

**Angron:** "Where's your homeworld?"

**Alpharius:** "Nice try. I'm not revealing background mysteries that easily"

**Angron:** "Worth a shot ..."

**Ferrus:** "It's Terra"

**Alpharius:** "How did you ... damn Internet spoils **everything!**"

**Angron:** "How does that work? Horus found him in some remote part of the galaxy?"

**Alpharius:** "I jumped there via Webway"

**Angron:** "I thought that didn't get built until later?"

**Alpharius:** "That's what we **wanted** you to think. Mainly we wanted Magnus to spoil it"

**Angron:** "Wait ... if this is going where I think it's going ... the Heresy was **planned**?"

**Alpharius:** "Do you honestly believe dad was stupid enough to let something as inevitable as a civil war start off without him knowing about it? Brother, we've all been pawns in his game. Well ... I might have been a higher piece sometimes ... occasionally a queen ... but playing pieces we all are"

**Ferrus:** "Man, those conspiracy theories were **right!** So what's the endgame?"

**Alpharius:** "I've no idea. Dad just said the Imperium was necessary for the good of mankind. They needed to see the light and fall from grace themselves. Not sure it he was trying to teach us something or just be a jerk"

**Ferrus:** "Knowing dad, probably a mixture of the two. But if the Eldar saw this ..."

**Alpharius:** "Then **he** could merely be a part of **their** plan? Yeah, I thought of that. Luckily I've had some help in the Chaos Eldar, who exist under a shadow of fan denial ..."

**Angron:** "There's Chaos Farseers?"

**Alpharius:** "Tzeentch worshippers, most of them ... they've been helping me plan ahead, of course I don't trust them an inch and made my own plans for when they inevitably screw me over ... but that's beside the point. Asurmen has played exactly as I knew he would. I've got friends aboard this Craftworld who can help us"

**Angron:** "So **they're** a part of **your** plan?"

**Alpharius:** "Indeed. Unfortunately they've probably seen this already and we're just doing what they want us to do"

**Angron:** "So **we're** a part of **their **plan, despite **they **being a part of **our** plan, while **we've** been a part of **their** plan all along"

**Alpharius:** "Pretty much yeah"

**Ferrus:** "I think Angron's head's going to explode ..."

**Angron:** "No kidding. So who's playing who?"

**Alpharius:** "We all are, with each other"

**Angron:** "Who has the upper hand in all this?"

**Alpharius:** "Tzeentch. Whatever happens is **always** according to her plans"

**Angron:** "The Heresy?"

**Alpharius:** "Just as planned"

**Angron:** "The Black Crusades?"

**Alpharius:** "Just as planned"

**Ferrus:** "The War in Heaven?"

**Alpharius:** "Just as planned ... somehow"

**Ferrus:** "Storm of Chaos?"

**Alpharius:** "Just as planned ... but the ending was pure Gav Thorpe"

**Ferrus:** "How do you defeat someone like that?"

**Alpharius:** "You don't, because it's all according to her plan"

**Ferrus:** "Do I detect a hint of admiration?"

**Alpharius:** "I can't possibly say - Magnus is the token Tzeentchian Legion. I'm the token 'sneaky' Legion"

**Angron:** "Damn sneaky! You should run up and hit people in the face like real men!"

**Alpharius:** "And be shot in the face like real men?"

**Angron:** "And take it in the face like real men!"

_Silence ..._

**Angron:** "I choose to rephrase that last sentence ..."

**Ferrus:** "I choose to pretend it never happened ..."

**Alpharius:** "I choose to stop talking about it and continue our mission!"

**Ferrus:** "So, as the one who has the most amount of knowledge about what happening, who's screwing who, who's double-crossing who, and what's for dinner tonight - where do we go?"

**Alpharius:** "I have a mole placed in the communications spire of the Craftworld. He'll help us contact Magnus and Russ, and hopefully we can order pizza while we're at it"

**Angron:** "Is this the time?"

**Alpharius:** "Yeah - I'm starving, and Eldar food sucks. Tau food is no better - mostly water and they ask you to fish out the small amounts of fish and leak with two sticks. How the hell are you supposed to use them?"

**Angron:** "Pluck people's eyes out?"

**Alpharius:** "Trust you to think of uses like that ..."

**Evesomon:** "Danger! Danger!"

**Angron:** "We've talked too long ... they've found us ..."

_Dramatic music ... a figure appears before the Primarchs._

**Alpharius:** "You!!"

**Angron:** "Who?"

**Ferrus:** _Points._ "HER!!"


	64. Chapter 64

_**Chapter Sixty-four**_

_"Look! An undead Grot!" - Captain J Sparrow of the Raven Guard_

_With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!_

_We continue, once again, with where we left off ..._

**Konrad:** "Lelith!"

**Lelith:** "Konrad, nice to see you alive again. Where's my fool of a husband?"

**Angron:** "Husband? Oh you mean Lorgar?"

**Lelith:** "Of course I meant Lorgar you idiot! Where is he? He said he'll be home for dinner - well it's gone cold! Tell me where he is so I can kill the bastard!"

**Ferrus:** "In a holding cell back there" _He jerks a thumb over a shoulder._

**Lelith:** "He's in **prison**??! Oh he's **dead!**"

**Alpharius:** "An **Eldar** prison Lelith ..."

**Lelith:** "... Oh well that's Ok then. Don't expect him to break out of something that well built ... so how's you guys?"

**Ferrus:** "Scared by that sudden mood swing ..."

**Lelith:** "I'm female, I'm an Eldar, I've had a long day, the kids are playing up, I've had to the housework **again**, and it's the **wrong** time of the month for all this, so excuse me if I seem a little tempermental"

**Angron:** "Oh excused, so **very** excused ..."

**Ferrus:** "So what brings you into the bowels of a Super Craftworld swarming with Super Solitaires and probably other super things?"

**Lelith:** "Finding out where my good-for-nothing husband has got too ..."

**Angron:** "And suddenly the reason why Lorgar spent so much of his time at the pub with us becomes all too clear ..."

**Lelith:** _Gives him the __**LOOK**_

**Angron:** "Of course that was my poor attempt at humour ... not an observation ... I swear"

**Lelith:** "Good ... what was that about Super Solitaires?"

**Ferrus:** "This place is swarming with them?"

**Konrad:** "We've been avoiding them since the holding cells ..."

**Lelith:** "You pansies. They're nothing special"

**Konrad:** "But the Emperor and the Void Dragon are **terrified **of them!"

**Lelith:** "Well they would be they're **men**"

**Angron:** "What's that supposed to mean?"

**Lelith:** "Know who really designed them? It was an angry female fan who gave Andy Chambers her custom-designed rules for them one Games Day. It took Chambers and Thorpe one playtest and Alan Merrett's sanity to realise the rules oozed with the deadly combination of **Nerd Rage**and **PMS**"

**Ferrus:** "That's unholy!"

**Lelith:** "Indeed. Perhaps the most powerfully destructive force in the universe. Stuck inside an Eldar soul"

**Angron:** "What hope do we have ... we're doomed!!!"

**Lelith:** "Perhaps ... there is one way ... Ferrus knows ... but he is too afraid to invoke it"

**Ferrus:** "Can we not go there? That way lies long cats and forests of memes!"

**Lelith:** "It must be done! Else you'll be defeated by these Super Solitaires and the galaxy will be reduced to ruin!"

**Ferrus:** _Sighs. _"Very well ... let it be so ... I invoke the politically correct powers of the Internetz and ask the Gods of Bandwidth to bless us the gift of **DOMESTIC VIOLENCE!**"

**Angron:** "Does this mean it's OK to beat up women now?"

**Ferrus:** "Dude, it's not only OK it's **encouraged for the lulz**"

**Konrad:** "I'm scared by the places you lurk at, Ferrus"

**Ferrus:** "I am immune to your opinions, for I insert my own, vastly superior ones in their place"

**Konrad:** "Whatever, so now what?"

**Ferrus:** "We go beat up some girls"

**Konrad:** "The way you say that makes it sound like you're **eager** for this"

**Ferrus:** "I have suppressed issues regarding women. Can we go now - I could do with the physical therapy"

**Konrad:** "OK man; **really** starting to scare me now, and this is **me** we're talking about. 'Night Haunter', 'scary dude', and you're freaking **me** out!"

**Ferrus:** "Good, now you know how the rest of us feel about you all the time. Waifu-beating team - move out!!"

**Konrad:** "This all frightens and confuses me ..."

**Angron:** "Hey - we get to smash things!!"

**Alpharius:** "If anyone needs me I'll be cunningly disguised as a bulkhead"

**Lelith:** "Right, now to see to my husband ..."

_Our heroes move out, intent on causing lots of harm to everyone ..._

_Meanwhile, onboard the flagship of the Alpha Empire - the _Up Yours Rob! ...

**O'Soryu:** "So it's decided?"

**Thrall:** "Indeed. Our masters are in peril!"

**Kerrigan:** "My boyfriend's in trouble, and there's Protoss-wannabies to smack around"

**Ev'rii:** "I'm pretty certain that the Protoss are Eldar-wannabies"

**Kerrigan:** "You want to argue big-horns?"

**Ev'rii:** "These horns **do not** make me look fat! You lie!"

**Cypher:** "Now, now ladies. Calm down. We have a rescue operation to put into motion ..."

**O'Soryu:** "Thank you Cypher. Are we all agreed on the details?"

**All: **"Yes"

**O'Soryu:** "Very well, I now declare operation 'Save Our Stupid Heroes' a go!"

**Tzeentch:** "Isn't it nice when things go as planned?"

**Vaul:** "You're pinning all our hopes on twenty useless genetically engineered **Humans** ... of all things"

**Khorne:** "Relax, they know what they're doing ... I think"

**Asuryan:** "You better be right Khorne, we have a lot riding on this. All the pieces are in place, we just need those twenty damned inviduals to do what they're supposed to do"

**Nurgle:** "What's this 'twenty'? I count only eighteen"

**Asuryan:** "Just wait. The Children of Tracy will soon unite, and the galaxy shall tremble before their might!"

**Slaanesh:** "That rhymes ... so pretty ..."

**Asuryan:** "Oh quiet you"


	65. Chapter 65

_**Chapter Sixty-five**_

_"Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's Tacgnol!" - Ferrus_

_"I swear Ferrus if you mention anything 4chan-related after last chapter ..." - Konrad_

_With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!_

_The events leading up to today's chapter are long and manyfold ... too long for a mere chapter to cover ... too long, even, for a BL 'novel-lite', too long in fact for Frank Herbert himself to cover! No ... we must make do with supplying mere extracts from the events leading up to this moment:_

**Ferrus:** "Asurmen! Free my fellow Anonymous!"

**Konrad:** "I **am not** Anonymous!"

**Asurmen:** "NEVER!"

**Horus:** "My face itches ..."

**O'Soryu:** "Mission accomplished!"

**Lelith:** "Dear, do my boobs look big in this holo-suit?"

**Thrall:** "Master!"

**Horus:** "Thrall, I swear if you **don't** get off my leg this instance!"

**Magnus:** "A CHALLENGER APPEARS!"

**Russ:** "WITH A STICK!"

**Konrad:** "I choose you Eversomon!"

**Angron:** "If you guys need me to tidy up, I'll be in the Goto-inspired 'Slaaneshii Cultist Anonymous' room enjoying hot sex with Kerrigan"

**Konrad:** "I am **not**, and **never will be** Anonymous!"

**Cypher:** "Who the hell are you?"

**Lion:** "FLOWER SELLERS MUST DIE!!!"

**Asurmen:** "You ... have ... defeated me ... Primarchs ..."

**Horus:** "WHO RULES?"

**Lorgar:** "Sorry guys, wife insists on tagging along"

**Dorn:** "Can that be ... ?"

**Horus:** _He whispers._ "The Fish of Time!"

_And so, with the basic covered and our readers no doubt utterly confused, we return to our heroes' present position before the great and powerful FISH OF TIME!_

**Horus:** "It's a trout ..."

**Dorn:** _Whispering._ "No need to be rude Horus ... it probably has insecurity issues"

**Lorgar:** "Still ... you expect it to be somewhat more ... impressive"

**FISH OF TIME!: **"Thank you. I've been waiting for sixty-odd chapters and all I get is insults. Well if you don't want my powers you can bloody well bugger off ... _Spongebob_is on in a moment and I don't want to miss this episode (it's the one where Spongebob dies a horrible, horrible death)"

**Horus:** "Tough. We've travelled across the galaxy. Fought monsters great and small, ugly and horrifically cute, powerful and thankfully weak. We've captured an Eldar Super-Craftworld with nothing but sheer cunning and a toothpick!"

**Ferrus:** "And my porn collection"

**Horus:** "I was leaving that part out ... but no matter. You understand Fish, that we have travelled far to be in your presence ... we cannot turn back now"

**FISH OF TIME!: **"Not even for _Spongebob_?"

**Horus:** "Not even for _Spongebob_"

**FISH OF TIME!: **_It sighs._ "Very well ... what is it I can help you with?"

**Dorn:** "We seek a way to travel back in time and defeat the powers of the C'tan!"

**FISH OF TIME!: **"And you come to me ... a God of Time ... how very convenient for you ... so be it"

**Horus:** "What ... that's it?"

**FISH OF TIME!: **"What were you expecting?"

**Horus:** "I don't know ... some sort of test? A challenge? A series of horrible and evil tasks to perform in order to prove our worth? Something more than this?"

**FISH OF TIME!:**"Well if you insist ... you can have my power but the task of using it is yours to figure out"

**Dorn:** "Oh nice one Horus. He **was** going to give us it all on a plate. Now we have to figure it out without an instruction booklet"

**FISH OF TIME!: **"Oh you can have one of those ..."

**Horus:** "See? Not so bad!"

**FISH OF TIME!: **"But it's written in Ancient Fishman Script"

**Horus:** "We're screwed"

**Dorn:** "Nice one ... still ... we've got Magnus back"

**Magnus:** "Don't look at me. I've no idea about Ancient Fishman Script!"

**Russ:** "I thought you were supposed to be the know-it-all of this group"

**Magnus:** "Yeah ... but I don't know it **all**. That's just impossible. There's got to be stuff I don't know about otherwise this story has no suspense"

**Corax:** "So you limit yourself for the sake of the **narrative**?"

**Magnus:** "Pretty much, yeah"

**Horus:** "FISH! Tell us what we need to know!"

**FISH OF TIME!: **"No. Bugger off"

_With that said, the FISH OF TIME vanishes from sight and the Primarchs are left floating in the ether ..._

**Horus:** "Damn ... can anyone remember where we parked the fleet?"

**Dorn:** "Can anyone remember how we got here?"

**Perturabo:** "No ... the narrator skipped that part ..."

_Oops ... my bad._

**Mortarion:** "We need to get back ... Ev'rii would have gone for more than ten minutes without a sexual release"

**Dorn:** "Can't have her going cold turkey can we?"

**Mortarion:** "Not really. I just don't want her to vent her frustrations through slash fan fiction ... involving me ... and one of you guys ..."

_There is silence. Lots of it. _

**Horus:** "Gods-damn slash fangirls ..."

**Dorn:** "My mind is scarred ..."

**Perturabo:** "So is mine ..."

**Ferrus:** "My mind wonders which position is being adopted, and what other sources are involved ...."

**Konrad:** "Ferrus ... I've warned you again and again"

**Ferrus:** "Crossed the line?"

**Konrad:** "Not so much 'crossed it' ..."

**Lion:** "More like driven over it in a souped-up Rhino"

**Sanguinius:** "From my chapter"

**Vulkan:** "And you're not stopping"

**Ferrus:** "I get it. Ferrus shut up ..."

**Konrad:** "Thank the Gods"

**Horus:** "Quiet! I need to concentrate. We have the power ... now if we can figure out how to use it ..."

**Dorn:** "Agreed - everyone think of the time we need to be in!"

**All:** "Yes!"

_There is much concentration. The Primarchs channel the immense energies of the FISH OF TIME! A blinding flash illuminates this vast dimension our heroes apparently seem to be in! Suddenly, they stand within the Imperial Palace on Terra!_

**Mortarion:** "My knowledge of history may be a little dim ... but was the Imperial Palace around sixty-odd million years ago?"

**Horus:** "No it wasn't ... damn it Ferrus we screwed up!"

**Ferrus:** "What did **I** do?"

**Horus:** "I don't know - I'm blaiming you!"

**Lorgar:** "What did everyone think of?"

**Magnus:** "I tried to think of the right time, but my mind kept slipping back to returning to Falal and T"

**Angron:** "I kept thinking about Sarah ..."

**Ferrus:** "I thought of a beer"

**Lorgar:** "Oh damn ... I thought of all the DIY projects Lelith has planned for me to do around the house"

**Dorn:** "Dammit! We've only gone and thought about the **future!**"

**Sanguinius:** "So where are we?"

**Fulgrim:** "Maybe she knows ..." _He points at a girl in various shades of red and pink walking past carrying a basket of flowers._

**Lion:** "ARGH!!! FLOWER SELLER!!!"

_Only the timely interception by Russ prevents the unfortunate death of the girl by sharp pointy swords._

**Ferrus:** "Guys ... come look at this ..." _He points out one of the many windows of the Palace. Through which the Primarchs view a city filled with bright flags, happy, cheering citizens ... and dozens of cute Moogles!_

**Horus:** "By the Gods ... this is the **future?**"

**Lorgar:** _Picks up a vase and looks at the writting underneath._ "Copyright Games Workshop, a subsidiary company of Square-Enix. Oh dear ..."

**Dorn:** "We've been Japanified ..."


	66. Chapter 66

_**Chapter Sixty-six**_

_"Behold the edge of the blade. Like your soul, it is sharp. Like your soul, it cuts its path through history. Like your soul, it's ********** badass" - Wolf Priest Ulrik to new recruits_

With the six Keys of Carl obtained, our heroes now pass through the dreaded Gates of Varl in search of the mythical Fish of Time; a being of power said to grant the gift of time-travel to those who ask. With the ability to travel back in time, our Primarchs seek to destroy the hated C'tan before their rise to power, and ensure the 41st millennium stays dark and gothic for future generations to come!

**Mortarion:** "Right ... lets take stock of our current situation ... thanks to our collective inability to think of the same thing we've brought ourselves in a horrific future nightmare ... what is it Lorgar?"

**Lorgar:** _Puts down the hand he had just raised._ "Isn't the tagline of the game 'In the nightmare future of the 41st millennium ...'"

**Horus:** "I thought it was 'In the grim darkness of the far future'?"

**Vulkan:** "Could have fooled me; I swore the tagline was 'Give us your money and enjoy your game with that obnoxious 8-year-old and his badly painted Space Smurfs' ..."

**Mortarion:** _Waves his hands around in frustration._ "Whatever! Point being we're in a Square-Enix owned 40K franchise! There's kawaii everywhere! And **dammit** I'm starting to drop random Japanese words in my sentences"

**Ferrus:** "Weeaboo"

**Mortarion:** "Konrad?"

_There is a horrifying 'snap' from Konrad's direction._

**Ferrus:** "Did you ... did you just break a RAM stick?!?"

**Konrad:** "Yes I did"

**Ferrus:** "All those gigs! Wasted! THE HORROR! IS THERE NO JUSTICE IN THIS WORLD!?!" _Collapses to his knees and cries._

**Mortarion:** "That was damn effective ..."

**Konrad:** "I have more in my pocket Ferrus. For every *chan-reference you make another RAM bites it"

**Mortarion:** "Getting back on track-"

**Lorgar:** "Your rant"

**Mortarion:** "-on **track**, it appears that our most immediate course of action is apparent. Armed with the knowledge of our horrific future, we must travel back to our time and set things right"

**Horus:** "And the C'tan?"

**Mortarion:** "Oh yeah ... we'll travel back to their time and kill them first, then travel **forward** to our time and attempt to stop **this **time from happening"

**Vulkan:** "Does anyone else get the feeling this could end up bloody complex?"

**Horus:** "You're telling me - I already lost what Mort was trying to say!"

**Mortarion:** "It's just a damn time paradox! We're not talking rocket science here!"

**Dorn:** "When our troops effectively use miniature rocket launchers as their basic firearms, I'd like to think **we are** all bloody rocket scientists!"

**Ferrus:** "Can I ask a question?"

**All:** "No!"

**Fulgrim:** "Who's the girl?" _He gestures at the terrified woman held up above Lion's reach by Magnus (the fact a gargantuan creature is holding her anyway is also freaking her out)._

**Sanguinius:** "Good question. Allow me to talk to her, I have more skills in this area"

**Perturabo:** "What are you suggesting girly-man?"

**Sanguinius:** "That some of us **aren't** virgins?"

**Perturabo:** "..."

**Sanguinius:** "Thank you. Now ..." _He approaches the girl. _"It's all right, my dear. El'jonson is quite retarded and has this knee-jerk reaction to flowers, of which is is quite terrified"

**Girl:** "El'jonson? Oh phew ... for a moment I thought it was another bloody entry in the Complication"

**Lion:** "Is she saying I look like Sephiroth?"

**Fulgrim:** "You do"

**Lion:** "He copied **my** look! Bloody poser! I had the 'effeminate straight dude' look **before** he did!"

**Fulgrim:** "That's something to be proud of?"

**Lion:** "**You** can talk ... I need a double-take to remind myself you're not a flat-chested yuan-tii bitch"

**Fulgrim:** "Then I would suggest therapy dear ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Ignore those two my dear, now ... tell me your name"

**Girl:** "Aerith Gainsborough"

**Magnus:** "I thought it was 'Aeris'?"

**Aerith:** "It's actually more like 'Earisu' ... but everyone just calls me DFG"

**Magnus:** "DFG?"

**Aerith:** "'Dead Flower Girl'. Everyone just knows me as 'That girl who **died**'"

**Mortarion:** "Shouldn't we wrap spoilers around this conversation?"

**Ferrus:** "Dude ... Aeris Dies. Everyone knows that. It's like saying you didn't know Rosebud was the sleigh ... or that Vader was Luke's father ..."

**Fulgrim:** "Vader was Luke's **father?!?**"

**Vulkan:** "And Leia was his sister"

**Fulgrim:** "Wait ... so that means he made out with his sister in _Splinter of the Mind's Eye_!! The Expanded Universe is **sick!!**"

**Vulkan:** "Maybe we should put him in touch with Malekith ... that guy knows a thing or two about incest ..."

**Horus:** "So ... DFG ... where are we?"

**Aerith:** _Frowns._ "Oh **you're** gonna be fun ... we're in the Imperial Palace on New Japan"

**Magnus:** "New Japan?"

**Aerith:** "That's the name of the planet. We're currently in Tokyo"

**Vulkan:** "Major city?"

**Aerith:** "**Only **city ... except those twats from Osaka ..."

**Ferrus:** "Tokyo is the centre of the universe. It's the Japanese equivalent to New York - the world, his wife, and their pet fifty-foot high monster love to smash the place up"

**Vulkan:** "Which reminds me ... wasn't the _Cloverfield_ monster an exact match of Magnus?"

**Horus:** "He had two eyes ... at least ... bit hard to tell with all that crappy camerawork ..."

**Fulgrim:** "It was **supposed** to be crap ..."

**Horus:** "Well it didn't help me feel scared when I couldn't see a bloody thing!"

**Ferrus:** "Magnus, **were** you the _Cloverfield_ monster?"

**Magnus:** "I needed the cash ... they didn't let me use my Deadly Eye Lasers"

**Horus:** "Now **that** would have made an awesome movie!"

**Aerith:** "GUARDS!"

**Fulgrim:** "Christ on a pogo stick - we forgot about her!"

_Several armed guards appear, spot the gathering of Primarchs, and begin running towards them._

**Vulkan:** "How hard do you think they are?"

**Horus: **_Cracks his knuckles._ "Only one way to find out ..."

**Sanguinius:** "It's so awesome when it's **not** me you're beating the crap out of"

**Horus:** "Likewise. You know - if you hadn't slapped me around beforehand ... I could have taken the old man on and pwned his ass"

**Dorn:** "Don't talk - show it"

**Horus:** "I intend to"

**Aerith:** _Turns to Magnus._ "So what were those little things that dropped off you?"

**Magnus:** "Horrors ... what?"

**Aerith:** "You should shower more often ... that's all I'm saying"

_Cue lots of violence ..._


	67. Chapter 67

_**Chapter Sixty-seven**_

_"Time to settle down to a good porn flick ... wait ... is that __**mum?!?**__" - Malekith, after viewing _'Sorceresses Gone Wild'

_Having obtained the power of the Fish of Time our heroes quickly prove their incompetance by travelling to a nightmare future ... of a nightmare future ... where Square-Enix rules and our beloved gothic war-torn galaxy is plagued by cute and kawaii (and yes I know that's the same thing in two languages)._

Horus holds a thoroughly beaten palace guard with one hand while the other defeated guardsmen are tied up (with an iron girder, by Perturabo).

**Horus:** "Tell me the location of the hidden rebel base!"

**Guard:** "What?!?"

**Horus:** "Sorry, just **always** wanted to say that ... ahem ... who the **hell** are you and what are you doing in my Palace!!"

**Guard:** "What? This Palace belongs to His Bishie Awesomeness Lord Sephiroth the Great And Sexy"

**Horus:** "..."

**Lorgar:** "There really isn't much you can reply to that ..."

**Dorn:** "Other than laugh?"

**Horus:** "Or cry? Damn long-haired bastards got **my** throne! And his title **sucks major grox balls!**"

**Lorgar:** "Well there is one way to fix this"

**Horus:** "Kill him, his friends, his family, and anyone who knows of him, recorded about him, or merely heard of him?"

**Lorgar:** "Excellent suggestion"

**Angron:** "If it has mass genocide somewhere - count me in!"

**Aerith:** "That's **horrible**!"

**Dorn:** "That's kinda the point dear ... they're **Chaos** Primarchs"

**Lorgar:** "What have I told you before? Chaos does not equal evil! Just because we're all generally a bunch of mass-murdering freaks doesn't mean everyone under the banner is"

**Horus:** "But everyone under the banner **is**; it's on the job description for the LatD"

**Sanguinius:** "I thought they were on our side?"

**Lorgar:** "No that's the **Legion of** the Damned, not **Lost and** the Damned"

**Dorn:** "What's with all the Damned anyway?"

**Vulkan:** "It's a dark future ... lots of Damnation going on"

**Russ:** "Especially by the bloody Inquisition! I get twenty letters a day warning me about future Exterminatus unless we curb mutation and conform to the Codex!"

_General laughter._

**Dorn:** "What a load of crap. You know I use my copy as a beer mat?"

**Russ:** "Same here!"

**Corax:** "I think I've got mine propping up my writing desk ..."

**Vulkan:** "I throw it at people - it's large enough to cause severe internal bleeding"

**Dorn:** "Man, we're **Primarchs.** Anything we throw is gonna cause severe damage"

**Horus:** "Even Moogles?"

**Dorn:** "Yeah, why?"

**Horus:** "There's a load of them running towards us screaming"

_Several seconds later._

**Lorgar:** "How did you do that?"

**Angron:** "Do what?"

**Lorgar:** "That!"

**Vulkan:** "You threw a Moogle **through** a Moogle. That's kinda impressive"

**Angron:** "Not really - it got stuck halfway"

_They look down at the little creature as it hobbles around with another one sticking through it's chest._

**Lorgar:** "It's kinda cute really ..."

**Vulkan:** "Like a deformed siamese twin ... how is it **breathing?**"

**Lorgar:** "Anyone know Moogle anatomy?"

**Aerith:** "You guys are **monsters!!**"

**Magnus:** "I resent that term - we currently prefer 'Individuals of Daemonically Gifted Stature'"

**Horus:** "Bloody PC ..."

**Perturabo:** "You're just annoyed that you don't have Daemon Princehood"

**Horus:** "Hell yeah! Where's my MC-status?"

**Magnus:** "The term 'Monstrous Creature' is also unfavourable. We prefer 'Creatures of Considerable Stature'"

**Horus:** "Magnus?"

**Magnus:** "Yes?"

**Horus:** "Shut it. Or I'll get Russ to blow up something else of yours you like"

**Russ:** "Not likely laddie. Magnus and me are regular drinking buddies now"

**Magnus:** "Wait ... since when did **Horus** order Prospero to be reduced to a diamond-crusted wasteland?"

**Horus:** "Apparently it's always been that way ..."

**Russ:** "Took me by surprise too. Always thought the old man was just a total bastard (as always) ..."

**Magnus:** "You could have said no"

**Russ:** "**You** try telling our father he's **wrong**. Know what happened to the last dude that did?"

_**Flashback - Imperial Palace 10,000 years ago ...**_

**Random Official:** "Sir, our budget currently cannot support Crusade. We need to retire some Expeditionary Forces to conserve costs"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Don't be silly! I've looked at the figures - we can support it!"

**Random Official:** "No sir, those figures clearly show we're several trillion in debt"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Are you saying I'm wrong?"

**Random Official:** "Numbers don't lie sir"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I AM NEVER WRONG! SCREW THE NUMBERS! REJECTED! REJECTED! MASS REJECTION!"

_EPIC destruction._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Oh **** ... I'm going to have to rebuild the palace again ..."

**Malcador:** "And hire another couple-billion support staff ..."

_**Flashback end ...**_

**Magnus:** "Good point ..."

**Horus:** "We are talking about the dude who bludgeoned me to death **with his EGO!**"

**Aerith:** "Monsters ..."

**Horus:** "Still here love? Do us a favour and lead us to this Sephiroth dude. I've got something I want to talk to him about"

**Dorn:** "His retirement?"

**Horus:** "Damn straight ..."


	68. Chapter 68

_**Chapter Sixty-eight**_

_"A Grey Knight will turn to Chaos when GW lowers their prices!" - Anon_

Having obtained the power of the Fish of Time our heroes quickly prove their incompetance by travelling to a nightmare future ... of a nightmare future ... where Square-Enix rules and our beloved gothic war-torn galaxy is plagued by cute and kawaii (and yes I know that's the same thing in two languages) ...

Having 'convinced' the Guard to escort them to the self-proclaimed 'His Bishie Awesomeness Lord Sephiroth the Great And Sexy' for an EPIC showdown between the greatest badass that ever graced our imaginations, and some poncy **** who thought he could destroy a world by throwing a large rock at it.

**Lion:** "Wait ... did the narrator just compliment me?"

**Ferrus:** "I'd take it while I could, if I were you"

**Lion:** "Personally I'm glad you're not me. I prefer to browse the Internet without knowing what lurks under its clean exterior ..."

**Ferrus:** "Longcat is sad at the vast amounts of Fail you radiate"

**Lion:** "Oh go lurk the feth more ... are we there yet DFG?"

**Aerith:** "Go **** yourself!"

**Lorgar:** "Do we get bonus points for making one of the most adored _Final Fantasy_ characters swear like a trooper?"

**Horus:** "Oh definitely worth 1,000XP alone ..."

**Aerith:** "We're almost there ..." _She mutters stuff I certainly can't print in this forum under her breadth._

**Horus:** "What was that about my mother?!?"

**Lorgar:** "Horus, you don't **have** a mother. You're an artificially created being"

**Dorn:** "That explains a lot. Horus - you weren't hugged enough as a child were you?"

**Horus:** "Do you think father was the hugging type? If I had joined the baseball team as a kid do you think he would have taken time off from the Crusade to watch and cheer me on?"

**Dorn:** "Good point ..."

**Magnus:** "Dad never really understood us ..."

**Lion:** "He still doesn't ... what's the point of creating nineteen sons and not bothering to at least take us to a game?"

**Dorn:** "All my life, I've only known how to wage war ..."

**Perturabo:** "And break my castles"

**Dorn:** "Sorry man"

**Aerith:** "Aww ... guess you guys still have your Freudian problems as well ..."

**Horus:** "I hope for your sake you're not comparing us to any spiky-haired Emo Failures with overly-large swords to compensate for their lack of masculinity ..."

**Aerith:** "Oh heaven's no ... we locked Cloud up in a basement years ago after we all got fed up with his constant angst"

**Horus:** "My opinion of you is changing, my dear ..."

**Aerith:** _Stops and points._ "The Royal Chamber of FABULOUS"

**Fulgrim:** "Oh! A man after my own heart!"

**Horus:** "I feel sick ..."

**Dorn:** _Grinning. _"Horus ... you're not homophobic by any chance are you?"

**Horus:** "What? No I love gays - ah I mean ... a ..."

**Vulkan:** "Man, the way you walked into that one was pitiful. Lead the way Aerith"

_She opens the doors and they step through into the HUGE CHAMBER._

**Aerith:** "LORD SEPHIROTH! I BRING YOU GUESTS!!"

**Sephiroth:** "WHAT?!? SPEAK UP! I CAN'T HEAR YOU ALL THE WAY OVER HERE!!"

**Aerith:** "Oh for the love of ... come on guys ..."

_They walk a mile forwards._

**Aerith:** "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW??!?"

**Sephiroth:** "GET HERE SOMEHOW, WAS THAT?!? ARE YOU ORDERING ME BITCH?!?!"

_They walk forward another mile._

**Horus:** "Who made this chamber so stupidly large?"

**Aerith**: _Out of breath. _"GW ..."

**Horus:** "SEPHIROTH!!"

**Ominous Latin Chanting:**  
_Estuans interius  
ira vehementi Estuans interius ira vehementi Sephiroth! __  
Sephiroth! _****

Sephiroth: "Who the hell are you guys?!?"

**Ominous Latin Chanting:**  
_Estuans interius  
ira vehementi Estuans interius ira vehementi  
El'jonson!  
El'jonson!_

**Lion:** "We are the PRIMARCHS!"

**Sephiroth:** "Wait ... did you just steal my latin chanting!"

**Ominous Latin Chanting:  
**_Sephiroth!  
Sephiroth!_

**Lion:** "What? That was mine to being with! **You** stole it from **me!**"

**Ominous Latin Chanting:  
**_El'jonson!  
El'jonson!_

**Sephiroth:** "I invented the whole white-haired bishie badass! You can't take that away from me!!"

**Lion:** "I'm sorry, did you call yourself a 'badass'? Correct me if I'm wrong but what badass relies on his **mother** to do all his work?"

**Sephiroth:** "You leave mummy out of this!"

**Lion:** "JENOVA was the real badass if _FF7_, and you're nothing but a washed-up has-been!"

**Sephiroth:** "The _Complimentation _series preaches my AWESOMENESS!"

**Lion:** "The _**Complication**_ series was written a **character designer** and blatant fanboy-"

**Horus:** "At least it wasn't the Head of IP ..."

**Sephiroth:** "I will not tolerate such insolence in my court! You will bow down before me and acknowledge I am the greatest _Final Fantasy_ bad guy or you shall ... BE KNOCKED DOWN!"

**Magnus:** "Firstly, that's a Garland quote, which you have no right stealing from such an awesome dude. Secondly, **Kefka** is the greatest FF bad guy"

**Lion:** "Thanks Magnus. Allow me to correct this fool in the error of his ways"

**Sephiroth:** _Brings out Masamune and points it at Lion. Such is the sword's stupid length it almost destroys half the room in the process._ "In what possible franchise mix could you ever defeat me?"

**Lion:** "The way I see it, if some Disney characters could kick your ass in _Kingdom Hearts_, this shoud be easy"

**Sephiroth:** "NEVER MENTION _KINGDOM HEARTS _IN MY COURT! NEVER MENTION DISNEY OR THAT INSUFFERABLE MOUSE IN MY PRESENCE!"

**Horus:** "Did he just insult Mickey?"

**Lion:** _Draws the LION SWORD! _"Oh he **dies!**"


	69. Chapter 69

_**Chapter Sixty-nine**_

_"Woot! Box cars! Box cars! Fear my 'six' rolling powers! Wait, what am I rolling? A Psychic Test? Oh ..." - Magnus 'Boxcar' Red_

_Having wasted several chapters of their lives obtaining the six Keys of Carl to open the legendary Gates of Varl, our (sometimes) heroes have achieved the goal given to them by the God-Emperor himself - gain the power of the Fish of Time! Now capable of traversing the roads of time itself, the Primarchs aim to travel back in time and destroy the C'tan before their rise to power! _

_Before that, however, a small diversion occupies their attention. A diversion in the form of a nightmare future occupied by Japanese cute and bright colours, ruled by the Emperor of Fangirls - Sephiroth!_

_Dramatic music beings ..._

**Sephiroth:** "What hope do you have Primarch against my skills? I who have grinded my way to level 99, obtained all the Materia, accumulated enough potions to heal a galaxy of ills, and have the blessings of Square-Enix at my side?"

**Lion:** _Turns on the powerfield to the Lion Sword. It makes a pleasing humming sound, like the drone of an airplane before it unleashes a nuclear bomb._ "Because I have the power of fanboyism - the unrelenting belief that I cannot fail born from a billion young children playing with toy soliders"

**Magnus:** _Whispering._ "I didn't know GW had **that** large an audience?"

**Lorgar:** _Whispering back._ "Ever read any shonen comic? The bad guys always spend half the battle talking exaggerated crap. The Lion's just getting into the spirit of things"

**Sephiroth:** "That may be, but with this sword I have claimed the lives of countless millions! It drips the blood of civilisations!"

**Lion:** "Mere civilisations? My sword has claimed the existence of uni-"

**Horus:** "Oh for crying out loud **get on with it!**"

_Dramatic music stops._

**Sephiroth:** "But I've spent ages rehearsing this!"

**Horus:** "Don't care! Fight! Now!"

**Lion:** "I apologise for my brother, he has no tact" _Adopts awesome stance._

**Sephiroth:** "Indeed. I shall slay him after you"

**Horus:** "Fat chance ..."

_'One Winged Angel' strikes up._

**Sephiroth:** "Ah! My theme! The boss battle commences!"

**Lion:** "Yeah screw that ..."

Jukebox - Select track - One Winged Angel  
Jukebox - Select track - FFX Battle Theme

**Ferrus:** "God no. Keep going"

Jukebox - Select track - Maybe I'm A Lion (FFVIII)

**Magnus:** "Awesome track. Kinda ruined by the fact it's Emo Boy's theme ..."

Jukebox - Select track - FFVI Battle Theme (Black Mages Version)

**Vulkan:** "I like ..."

**Lion:** "Lets keep it in the game in question ..."

Jukebox - Select track - FFVII Boss Theme

**Sephiroth: **"Have you guys quite finished ****ing around with the soundtrack?"

**Lion:** "Shh ... a moment to reflect in the genius of Nobuo Uematsu if you please"

_Sephiroth launches from his throne upon Lion, who blocks with his sword causing Sephiroth to hang there in mid-air in dramatic fashion as vast amounts of energy blasts outwards from the impact of swords. _

**Sephiroth:** "Screw Uematsu!"

**Lion:** "Oh ... that was definitely the **wrong** thing to say ..." _Swings his sword hurling Sephiroth backwards. He follows up with a forward lunge, which Sephiroth barely misses._

**Sephiroth:** "Your level is low and your Attack isn't enough to beat my Evasion!"

**Lion: **"That may be, but I have an ace up my sleeve" _He allows his defence to slip._

_Sephiroth takes advantage of it and strikes Lion several times. Much damage is taken, and Lion is hurled backwards._

**Horus:** "Damn man! Have your skills fallen that much?"

**Magnus:** "Relax Horus, Lion wanted Sephiroth to hit him"

**Sephiroth:** "What?"

**Lion:** "He speaks the truth. I needed to build my Limit Break up. Now ... shall we start anew? **LION'S CHARGE!!**"

_Vast energies spiral around the Lion, and we enter a mini-cutscene as the Limit Break activates. Everyone else stands motionless as the Lion charges forwards, gaining vast amounts of power with every mile he traverses ... wait mile? They weren't that far apart! Yet Lion keeps charging ... and charging ... and charging ..._

**Horus:** "Bloody laws of anime!"

_Indeed. Eventually the Lion connects with Sephiroth and HUGE DAMAGE is dealt._

**Sephiroth:** "ARGH! STATUS AFFLICTIONS!! BLIND!! POISON!! **EVASION DOWN!!**"

**Lion:** "I believe I can now hit you with a reasonable chance of success" _Which he does, several times._

**Sephiroth:** "This cannot be? How can I lose to such a insignificant being?"

**Lion:** "I'd like to say something about my skill being awesome, but as that's fact I'd have to say **you just suck**. Sorry but it's true"

**Sephiroth: **"Never! I shall never be defeated! **ONE-WINGED ANGEL TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE!!**"

_It is a bright and flashy sequence, with much CGI showing off and particle effects being used. _

**Magnus:** "Square-Enix throwing away their budget again ..."

_Eventually a transformed Sephiroth stands before the Primarchs. Huge and daemonic, with a single wing sticking out of his right shoulder. _

**Sephiroth:** "Time to die Primarchs!"

**Magnus:** "Boss fight, stage two"

**Lion:** "I guess new tactics might be needed for this one?"

**Vulkan:** "Need a hand Lion?"

**Lion:** _Grips his sword tighter._ "Thank you for the offer Vulkan, but I'm quite sure I can handle this one by myself. I have to. It's a matter of honour"

**Vulkan:** _Nods in understanding._ "Very well ... if you need us we'll be over there enjoying some popcorn and tasty snacks"

**Lion:** "Save some for me; I'm going to be hungry when this is finished. Now ... erm ... 'Safer Sephiroth'? What kind of name is that?"

**Not-so-Safe Sephiroth:** "Shut it bitch"

**Lion:** "How vulgar. I'm going to have to rip that tongue from your mouth now, won't I?"

**Not-so-Safe Sephiroth:** "You can **try**"

**Lion:** "As a certain green Watcher in the Dark once said: 'Do or do not; there is no try'" _He lunges forwards._ "I intend to **do!**"


	70. Chapter 70

_**Chapter Seventy**_

_Hello and welcome to another issue of White Dw- ... what? Primarchs? What the hell is this? I was told to do another crap intro that the WD team could stick in place of the old editor's comments section 'cause their current editor still doesn't want to associate himself with WD readers, and now you're telling me I'm introducing some crap fan parody because __**its**__ author can't be arsed to think up a new quote? Do you know who I am? I'm the bloody White Dwarf bitch! I'm the genuine article! The real McCoy! The be all and end all! I don't do no 'guest star intro' crap! Get someone else! - Grombrindal_

Hello and welcome to another exciting chapter of PRIMARCHS! I'm Asdrubael Vect; author of the best-selling 'The Game: How to Get Women Consensually Or Otherwise', and 99.9% of all hentai currently on the market. I'm here to introduce a _**very**__ special episode of PRIMARCHS ... you see we've had so much fun ... so many chapters ... and yet there comes a time when the laughter must stop. When the jokes must cease, and the parody replaced by serious reflection. Today is such a chapter._

Today we mourn the loss of the sanctity of Warhammer Backstory ...

**Sigmar:** "I'm terrified, you know. What if I'm suddenly revealed to have a lisp? Or like wearing women's underwear? You know? It kinda destroys the myth about me ..."

**Horus:** "I feel sorry for Sigmar ... I mean I didn't realise until I read _Horus Rising_ that I was essentially 99.9% pure ego wrapped in an over-sized Human body ... and my size kept changing! One moment I'm slightly higher than a Space Marine, next moment I can look them in the eye when I **kneel**! Who the hell keeps tabs on these things?"

**Russ:** "It's when you discover those orders to destroy and entire world didn't come from the Emperor himself, which made mass genocide OK, but from your **brother** ... now you just feel like a complete tit ..."

**Magnus:** "Where the hell did this Webway thing come from? And I apparently **destroyed **it?!? With a simple _Message_ spell?!? It's bloody 1st-level! Suddenly it's epic and I'm destroying warp-spawned subway tunnels with it!"

**Horus:** "So yeah ... we kinda feel for Sigmar ... and the others over in our sister universe-"

**Malekith:** "Although heaven help anyone these days who suggests we're joined with 40K ... it's kinda 'discouraged' ..."

**Sigmar:** "They take you away and you never see your family again ... apparently to Jervis' basement ..." _He shudders._

**Horus:** "I'm waiting to see what 'new and exciting' stuff they think up ... Malekith is actually the father of Sigmar?"

**Sigmar:** "I wouldn't be surprised by that. If I'm half-Elf apparently I seem ten times cooler to the general demographic of eight year olds who play the game ..."

**Malekith:** "Spawn Sigmar? **I think not!**"

**Morathi:** "I'd give birth to Sigmar ... hell yeah ... wouldn't stop me sleeping with him ..." _She giggles. _"He's so tasty ..."

**Malekith:** "If that's my mum ... she's a total slut ..."

**Teclis:** "I'll probably end up sleeping with her. Somehow" _He sighs._

So yes ... before we return to the storyline ... spare a thought for the Black Library's new venture into the past of the Warhammer world ... and ask yourself ... how much AWESOME parody material will it supply?

_**Horus:**__ "Considering half of PRIMARCHS is spent pointing out how much the new HH stuff sucks ... it'll be nice to have new material ..."_

Quiet. I'm narrating for a change ... Heldenhammer - _how much will it suck? Thank you ... and enjoy the continuation from yesterday - Asdrubael Vect_

**Sephiroth:** "You guys finished?"

**Magnus:** "Yeah we've finished bitching like angry fanboys now ... you two can continue this little scrap"

**Lion:** "It's an epic fight Magnus ..."

**Magnus:** "You're using stuff from _Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords_. You fail automatically in looking cool"

**Lion:** "You bloody traditionalists! You can't accept anything other than arcane magic! Psionics? No! _Magic of Incarnum_? No! _Tome of Magic?_"

**Magnus:** "That sucked so badly ..."

**Dorn:** "Could we stop talking about D&D here? This is a **40K** parody ..."

**Magnus:** "You're just bitter that we're not talking about your hobbies ..."

**Dorn:** "Perhaps ... although what's the chances of the topic being changed to football?"

**Magnus:** "We could ... but I don't know anything about that"

**Sephiroth:** "No we're not. I didn't spend an excessive amount of time changing into this form just so you could spend the entire chapter talking about mindless stuff. Now! Lion! Prepare yourself for my **ULTIMATE BADASS ATTACK!**"

**Lion:** _Yawning._ "Go for it"

**Sephiroth:** "**NOVA ASSAULT!!!**" _He then proceeds to pick up the Solar system and hit Lion with it (and I wish I was joking ... but Squaresoft really were this stupid in FF7)_.

**Lion:** "Wow ... that hurt considerably ..."

**Horus:** "Dude ... you just took a **solar system **to the **face!**"

**Lion:** "I might need a plaster ..."

**Lorgar:** "Hit him back!"

**Lion:** "With what?!?"

**Cypher:** "With this my lord!!" _Hurls down a bright and shiny sword. Lion catches it while gaping in amazement._

**Lion:** "Cypher? What are you doing here?"

**Cypher:** "I've been waiting for you to return for centuries! You disappeared into that Gate of Varl ages ago - I've been waiting here ever since to give you that damn sword!"

**Lion:** "What is it?"

**Cypher:** "Vaul enjoyed reforging the Lion Sword, so he went away and ... well improved it slightly ... behold the **Liger Sword!**"

**Lion:** _Swings it a little. A continent is cut in half._ "Wow ... sharp ... lets try **this!**" _He jumps up. Owing to the elastic nature of anime physics he manages to achieve low orbit. A few slices cuts the moon into small chunks which he then roundhouse kicks into Sephiroth._

**Sephiroth:** "OUCH! ARGH! DAMMIT! STOP THAT!"

**Lion:** "Not finished yet" _He drops back down, achieving terminal velocity. He plunges into Sephiroth, pointy-end first, at high speed. The sheer kinetic energy of the feat is unleashed, destroying large parts of the Palace in the process._

**Ferrus:** "Awesome! Lion's a Dragoon!"

**Horus:** "This is all absurd! I reject this absurdity!"

**Lion:** "Face it Sephiroth. You're pitiful ..."

**Sephiroth:** _Picking himself up from the ground. _"DON'T PITY ME!! **FINAL FORM! ULTIMATE BADASS SEPHIROTH!**" _Que more flashy transformation graphics._

**Lion:** _One swing._

**Sephiroth:** "GAH! WHY!! WHY IS MY FINAL FORM ALWAYS SO WEAK!!" _He collapses and dies, awarding mass XP for the Lion._

**Lion:** "That's one down. Now to clean up the rest of them ..."

_Dozens of guard rush into the room._

**Horus:** "Does it never end?"

**Dorn:** "You want it to stop?"

**Horus:** "Hell no! I was just making sure there's still more of them left for me"

**Ferrus:** "Guys we need to find a way of controlling this power the Fish of Time gave us!"

**Lorgar:** "Any suggestions?"

**Ferrus:** "There's got to be someone in this franchise mash-up who can help! A wise old master is an RPG staple!"

**Aerith:** "There's Doga! He can help!"

**Horus:** "Then lets find him!"

**Perturabo:** "What about these guys?" _He gestures at the guards._

**Horus:** _Grins _"No point leaving Lion with all the fun"


	71. Chapter 71

_**Chapter Seventy-one**_

_The One Where Monica and Rachel Join A Wych Cult, Phoebe Finally Earns Her Inquisitor Status, Joey and Chandler Learn the True Horror of the C'tan, and Ross is Eaten by Tyranids_

**Horus:** "Are we there yet?"

**Lorgar:** "I swear Horus, if you ask that one more time-"

**Dorn:** "No cookies"

**Horus:** "Oh ..." _Sits back in his couch and sulks._

**Dorn:** "Nice vessel by the way Cypher. Damn good of you to shuttle us to this Doga"

_Cypher shrugs from where he stands in the doorway leading into the automated bridge._

**Cypher:** "When you guys vanished off the face of the franchise we fell back on the insane amount of cash Alpharius had stored and started a business to take advantage of the changing times"

**Magnus:** "What was this business?"

**Cypher:** "A little thing called wBay! Like eBay, but we use the Warp to allow instantaneous summoning of your purchases to anywhere in the universe. With models and conversions getting made redundant left right and centre, not to mention the **huge** demand in the 3.5-era Daemons, we made a small fortune from people selling off their old stuff! Just 1% of all financial transactions go to us, but as you can see from this fine craft we're flying in that 1% went far ..."

**Alpharius:** "Impressive Cypher. I wouldn't have pinned you as a businessman"

**Cypher:** "Who do you think was the powerful entity watching over me?" _Opens the robes he wears to reveal a large tattoo on his chest of a figure pointing to the right with the words 'OBJECTION!' written below in ancient Dark Gothic._ "Proud follower of Zuvassin mate"

**Lion:** "Who the hell is he?"

**Magnus:** "Chaos God of Screwing Things Up"

**Angron:** "Since when?"

**Magnus:** "... _Something Rotten in Kislev _supplement for WHFRP"

**Lorgar:** "You blatantly just looked that up on Wikipedia ..."

**Magnus:** "So what? You can't expect me to know every nook and cranny of the Fluff!"

_The tortured cries a kitten can be heard._

**Fulgrim:** "Bloody hell ... she still at it?"

**Aerith:** "You monsters ..."

**Angron:** "Why is she still with us? What useful purpose does she serve?"

**Ferrus:** "Two words: Great Gospel"

**Angron:** "Ah ... good point. She may live ... for now ... mwahahahaha!!"

_There is silence._

**Lorgar:** "You did **not** just **say** an evil cacker?"

**Lion:** "He did"

_All shuffle around to block Angron from the conversation._

**Lorgar:** "All right. Lets take stock of our situation: we're several hundred years in the future. We have the method to return but none of us are confident of trying it again lest we end up somewhere worse"

**Vulkan:** "Where can be worse than this place? I can't swing a dead salamander without hitting something hyperactive and annoyingly cute!"

**Sanguinius:** "You'd swing a dead Space Marine?"

**Vulkan:** "I was talking about the animal my Legion's named after!"

**Lorgar:** "Chapter"

**Vulkan:** "What?"

**Lorgar:** "You're a Chapter not a Legion. You got hit by Rob's Code of Lame"

**Corax:** "Speaking of Rob. Where is he?"

**Konrad:** "Who cares? He's not here; that's the important fact"

**Alpharius:** "As strange as it may seem for me to agree with Corax, Emo Boy MkII does have a point - we have no idea where Rob ended up, whether he's still alive, and what state he's in"

**Horus:** "And again, the answer to all those questions is 'Do Not Want'"

**Ferrus:** "You've been using my laptop again haven't you?"

**Horus:** "Interesting 'Favourites' folder, by the way ..." _Pulls out a compact AdMech-approved laptop and rotates the screen so everyone can see. Ferrus visibly cringes._ "Shall we have a look?"

**Ferrus:** "Put that away now!"

**Lorgar:** "Wow ... Warseer's at the top? You sad individual ..."

**Perturabo:** "How may times? Dakka! **That's** the place!"

**Horus:** "Or how about this? How many chan boards have you linked?"

**Lorgar:** "WarpChan? Erm ... what?!?"

**Vulkan:** "Something Awful ... Rotten ... Golden Throne ... **Imperial Chicks**?!?"

**Ferrus:** "Sorry, Ferrus is AFK. Please come back ... no wait that's not mine!"

**Fulgrim:** "Oh sorry. That must be me ... I remember saving a few of my regular sites on your account by accident"

**Lorgar:** "So ... Imperial officers ..."

**Fulgrim:** "I love their uniforms! So tight and firm-"

**Vulkan:** "I apologise to everyone but I'm cutting this conversation now in the interests of my sanity"

**Ferrus:** "**No** complaint there ..."

**Lorgar:** "Still, Ferrus ... this isn't healthy web browsing activities ... especially Warseer ... strange bunch over there ..."

_They look at you._

**Ferrus:** "Self-referencial comedy for the win!"

**Dorn:** "What were we talking about before that pointless diversion?"

**Lorgar:** "How screwed we are ..."

**Dorn:** "Oh that again ... lets see if this Doga guy can help. If not, we kill him, his family, and rampage through this Gods-forsaken universe until everything's set right again"

**Aerith:** "The deaths! So ... simple ... so elegant ... heh ... so easy ..." _He face lights up ..._

**Fulgrim:** "Hello - I think we just corrupted Flower Girl ..."

**Dorn:** _Raises hands._ "Wasn't me"

**Magnus:** "Don't make me break out the _Detect Evil_ spell ..."

**Lion:** "Newsflash to the D&D nerd - this is **Warhammer 40,000** ... do you really want to know who's evil around here?"

**Magnus:** "Good point ... "

**Cypher:** "Well if anyone's interested, we're approaching the planet where DFG says Doga hides away"

**Horus:** "Excellent. Lets meet this guy, learn how to use our powers, then go back and kick C'tan arse!"

**Lorgar:** "When he puts it like that, it **almost** sounds simple"


	72. Chapter 72

_**Chapter Seventy-two**_

"_Blessed be the closed mind ... too simple to understand the rules of popular table-top war games so I can make whatever crap up and they'll chew on it like it's Grade A truth. Blessed be the closed mind indeed ..." - Way of the Power Gamer, Book The First_

_Caught in a nightmare future of Japanese cute and hyperactive teenage girls wearing impossibly short skirts (wait ... this is a __**nightmare?!?**__), our heroes seek the one individual who might possess the knowledge to aid them in harnessing the power of the Fish of Time!_

_We rejoin our heroes aboard the great vessel _Bitches Don't Know About Mah Plans_, currently in low orbit around the inconspicuous green and blue world. Gazing out at it stands Warmaster Horus, his trusted advisers Lorgar and Dorn, with Ferrus, Vulkan, and Mortarion acting as specialist advisers in the arts of the Internetz, Being Cool, and What Not To Be respectively._

**Horus:** "It has oceans ... and green stuff ... and white bits at the top ..."

**Lorgar:** "Yes Horus; it has multiple climates. Truly a bizarre planet amongst this universe of single-climate worlds ..."

**Horus:** "The concept is an abomination and must be discouraged with lazy narrative flair!"

_What do you want? An ocean world? A jungle world? A desert world occupied by annoying eight-year-old Evil Paladin wannabes who can pilot podracers and make their own protocol droids?_

**Horus:** "The narrator displays sarcasm towards me. This does not amuse the Warmaster ..."

**Mortarion:** "Since when has the Warmaster ever displayed a sense of humour?"

**Horus:** "Since when has the Death Lord ever displayed one either?"

**Mortarion:** "Touche ... although in my defence the guys over at think I'm hilarious ..."

**Lorgar:** "They would. We** are** talking about the only job in the universe which has as an requirement the necessity of finding double-amputees on swings unbelievably hilarious"

**Mortarion:** _Tries to stop giggling._ "Push harder and watch them fly!"

**Ferrus:** "And people insist **I'm** tasteless ..."

**Lorgar:** "You **are** tasteless. You're the only sentient being in known existence to have been **permanently banned** from /b/ for **offending the residents**"

**Dorn:** "Dare I ask **what the hell did you post?!?**"

**Ferrus:** _Looking as innocent as possibl._ "Well it was only a small deleted by the Warseer Inquisition with again, deleted by the Warseer Inquisition and more deletions with deleting, deleting ... up her hi, this is the Warseer Inquisition. Take a wild stab in the dark at what we've done here ... in now **that's** wrong and oh dear Gods ... in my **mind!!!** and is that actually physically **possible?!?** coated in oh that's just taking the piss ... with when does this **end?!?** and oh Gods it just goes **on and on** ... and some Marmite ... and a dog ..."

_Silence doesn't begin to describe the following scene. Even reality is stunned; atoms themselves stop emitting energy and stare at Ferrus in shock. _

**Ferrus:** "What?!?"

**Dorn:** "I'm sorry I asked ... I really am ... I think I need to make another successor chapter just to prove how sorry I am ..."

**Vulkan:** "Oh you will bitch. They shall fight continuously day and night for our forgiveness, and when a thousand millennia has passed they shall grovel before us and we shall say '_NO! ANOTHER THOUSAND MILLENNIA! OUR MINDS ARE STILL RECOVERING!'_. The **Sons of Dorn Should Not Have Asked That Damn Question** shall be their name, and they will exist only to commit enough genocide to make us forget what Ferrus just described ..."

**Magnus**:_Entering the room, with the others._ "What did Ferrus just describe? I missed anything?"

**Ferrus:** "Well-"

_Suffers a massive blow to the head that would shatter continents from Vulkan._

**Vulkan:** "No. Nothing was missed"

**Angron:** "Then why did you hit Ferrus?"

**Vulkan:** "Why not?"

**Angron:** "A good reply. Well I'm satisfied with that"

**Konrad:** "I'll never say no to a spot of random and horrific violence meted out without rhyme or reason ... so – what's the battle plan?"

**Corax:** "We're waging war against this world? With what? Our non-existent army that we left several hundred years ago outside the Gates of Varl that are now either dead from having no one to tell them what to do or suffered Mass Narrative Existence Failure?"

**Cypher:** "I'm alive"

**Corax:** "You're a named character; of course you'd still be alive. Only people with no names die in sci-fi stories, or people with a single name who've only recently been introduced"

**Aerith:** "Eeek!"

**Corax:** "Oh don't worry dear; you told us your last name. People with two names never die ... unless it's a Plot Death in which case it carries a 50% probability of being both permanent and intensely horrific so to inspire the rest of us to kick ass in your memory"

**Aerith:** "Oh **that's** comforting ..."

**Horus:** "Dead Flower Girl; your comfort is not important to anyone but yourself and your opinions frankly don't count anyway. Corax – you're wrong"

**Corax:** "I admire the bluntness of that last statement"

**Horus:** "Your admiration is only natural – I get that from people. In answer to your question we're not laying siege to the world. Although I've no doubt just the eighteen of us can manage quite nicely ..."

**Lorgar:** "Seventeen Horus"

**Horus:** "What?"

**Lorgar:** "There's seventeen of us – Rob's still missing, presumed annoying people"

**Horus:** "Well what good is that to us? I need that big blue bastard down here slugging those over-sized weapons of his around like it's the only thing he's good at in this world!!"

**Vulkan:** "I thought that **was** the only thing he's good at?"

**Dorn:** "That and annoying people ..."

**Corax:** "And writing crap books ..."

**Russ:** "And telling everyone what to do ..."

**Lorgar:** "Wow ... who does that remind you of?"

_Eyes turn to Horus._

**Horus:** "I hope for everyone's sake you're all looking at me because you're enraptured in my general awesomeness ..."

**Vulkan:** "Yeah ... that ... we'll go for that"

**Corax:** _Muttering out of the corner of his mouth."_Because we're obviously as gullible as Black Library authors ..."

**Horus**:"What was that Emo Mk2?"

**Corax:** "Your plan is excellent?"

**Horus:** "I haven't told you my plan yet!"

**Corax:** "Oh ... didn't you? I kinda got lost with all the random dialogue that was going on ..."

**Horus:** "So did I ... anyway ... we need to locate this Doga individual and convince him to help us! Naturally it shouldn't take long to search an entire planet for a single Human being ..."

**Lorgar:** "I hope that was sarcasm"

**Horus:** "Of course it wasn't!" _He notices the looks everyone's giving him._ "What? What's so hard? Oh come on; it happens in books all the time! How hard could it be ... ?"


	73. Chapter 73

_**Chapter Seventy-three**_

"_How hard could it be?" - Horus_

**SEVEN YEARS LATER**

**Horus:** "Oh **come on!!** Where the hell is this guy? They could've at least had some sort of signposts to where he is! A 'Doga, 12 miles this way' sign in giant, flashing neon lights?"

**Lorgar:** "They probably do ... only remember Horus that this world is 70% landmass and we've only searched about half of that ... we're probably missing the large neon signs to Doga's hideaway ..."

**Perturabo:** "Hey, DFG – any ideas?"

**Aerith:**_ She shrugs. "_Sorry ... no. Normally with these sort of things the only viable geographical path you can take with current transportation means leads you straight to the guy"

**Magnus:** "Conveniently placed mountains and rivers you apparently can't swim across?"

**Aerith: **"How did you know? Has this happened to you before?"

**Magnus:** "No my dear, that's just standard fare for Role Playing Games – a little something known amongst those who play them as rail-roading ..."

**Horus:** "Well I wish there was a bloody rail-road here now!"

**Lorgar:** "Let me just see how the other teams are doing" _Pull out a small Moogle and sacrifices it on the spot. _"Russ, Vulkan, what's your status?"

_The space above the dead Moogle twists and turns, and two small translucent images of Russ and Vulkan appear. _

**Russ:** "I don't like this sorcery Lorgar ... can't we use vox-links like every other 40K inhabitant?"

**Lorgar:** "I don't trust anything from Dan Abnett; it might not be fluffy ..."

_Meow!_

**Horus:** "How can we still hear that ... ?"

**Vulkan:** "Ignoring that matter – we've searched through the plains and we haven't found any sign of this 'Doga' individual. On the other hand we did find lots of wildlife that wanted to eat us"

**Russ:** "Yeah ... it's kinda odd when even the rabbits want to eat you ... especially when all you find in their stomachs are half-digested vegetables! What's up with this?"

**Magnus:** "The laws of all RPGs are slowly mixing in with ours. You'll suffer an increasingly large amount of giant animals appearing from seemingly nowhere with the sole intention of killing you, and when you slay them you'll feel wiser, and more experienced with matters"

**Aerith:** "And you'll probably spontaneously learn new stuff with no apparent reason as to why, especially considering your lack of access to books and education in the middle of the wilderness"

**Russ:** "I feel like I could rapidly punch this spear through creatures to achieve exponential damage ... this is a new occurrence that was not there yesterday ..."

**Magnus:** "Russ! You've levelled up!"

**Russ:** "What does that make me now? Epic? Major Epic? More Epic Than Epic? So Epic _Wizards of the Coast_ Will Be Nerfing Me In Five Seconds? Epic Enough To Have Arthas As My Bitch?"

**Magnus:** "I dunno ... what does your character profile say?"

**Russ:** "My **what?!?**"

**Magnus:** "Look around ... can you see an image of yourself on the task bar ... maybe try pressing the 'c' key ..."

**Vulkan:** "Magnus, you're sounding dangerously like Ferrus. Real Life does not carry keyboard short cuts!"

**Magnus:** "But-"

**Russ:** "Hey wait – I've found something! WOA! Is **that** what I'm carrying! You've got to see this lads – I'm positively **broken!!**"

**Magnus:** "I think Russ just found out what that funky spear he picked up on that craftworld ages back does"

**Russ:** _Huge hearty laughs._

**Vulkan:** "How did he see that?"

**Horus:** "Yeah – I want to see how broken **I** am!"

**Russ:** "Hit the 'tab' key!"

**Horus:** "The **what** key?"

**Russ:** "The 'tab' key"

**Horus:** "Where the hell's that? **What** the hell's that? Is it something you use in a bar?"

**Magnus:** "Bring down the console Horus"

**Horus:** "OK" _Reaches up and presses something to his upper left. _

Horus1:_

**Magnus:** "It's the button **below** that one .."

**Horus:** "Oh! Right I'm with you all ... before that ..."

Horus1:_  
Horus1:GOD  
Godmode on  
Horus1:_

**Lorgar:** "You cheeky bastard! Turn that off now!"

**Horus:** "But-"

**Lorgar:** "No buts! What did I tell you about Godmode **before** you went and fought dad?"

**Horus:** "It's cheating?"

**Lorgar:** "And do you want to be considered a cheater in history lessons ten thousand years from now?"

**Horus:** _Shuffles his feet._ "Erm ... no ..."

**Lorgar:** "Right, no turn that damn thing off"

**Horus:**_ Reluctantly. "_All right ..."

**Magnus:** _Leans over to Lorgar and whispers._ "And **you** can turn off autoaim ..."

**Lorgar:** "Damn ... busted"

**Vulkan:** "Have we all finished? Where's our next destination oh enlightened leader of awesome and win?"

**Horus:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "That was sarcasm"

**Vulkan:** "Very perceptive of you"

**Horus:** _Raises the other eyebrow._ "That was **also** sarcasm ... where are you currently?"

**Vulkan:** "The marshlands in the southern part of the eastern continent"

**Horus: **_Holds up a copy of the topographical map made by orbital scans years earlier. _"Right ... erm ... Lorgar? Where did we agree east started and west ended?"

**Lorgar:** "I thought this part here?"

**Horus:** "Really? I thought it was that part here ... ?"

**Lorgar:** "But I've been telling everyone it's this part!"

**Horus:** "But I've told them ..."

**Vulkan:** "You guys are ****ing morons"

_Another image pops up – the face of Alpharius._

**Alpharius:** "In case anyone's remotely interested – I found Doga"

**Vulkan:** "Excellent! Where?"

**Alpharius:** "The plains"

**Vulkan:** "But I **looked** there last year!"

**Alpharius:** "He's a trans-continental hiker"

_All eyes turn to Aerith._

**Aerith:** "Well I didn't know!"


	74. Chapter 74

_**Chapter Seventy-four**_

"_With this power I could forge the greatest fast food industry in the universe! ... or an empire ... yeah an empire sounds cooler ..." - Tracy's first reaction to news of Astartes zygotes_

_Having finally found the elusive Doga after seven years of fruitless searching (and coming to a realisation that planets are __**big**__, a lot bigger than most sci-fi authors make out), our (are we still calling them this?) heroes now seek his aid in controlling the vast powers of time travel, given to them by the all-mighty FISH OF TIME!_

**Horus:** "Hey you old fart! We want anything you might know about controlling this power!"

**Lorgar: **_Whispering out of the corner of his mouth._ "Nice diplomacy ... why not just beat it out of him while your at it?"

**Horus:** "An excellent idea!" _Moves forward._

**Lorgar:** "Horus you **** I was joking!"

_Horus aims a punch at the old guy's face, and throws it. He stops after a second when he realises Doga no longer is where he was, and looks up in amazement to see the old guy balancing perfectly on the end of Horus' fist. _

**Doga:** "You are slow, foolish son of a corpse!"

_Doga performs a neat backspin, kicking Horus in the chin as he does so and sending the Primarch (a good six feet taller than the old guy) flying backwards._

**Doga:** _Landing perfectly where he had just been moments before Horus tried to punch him._ "Manners, you have none. Teach you them, I shall"

**Horus:** "Bloody hell! He moved fast!"

**Perturabo:** "Or you're just getting slower in your old age" _He grins, hefts his axe and runs forwards, swinging the vast piece of metal (it was made from the wings of a Lightning fighter) around as he goes. The axe slices through huge chunks of ground, but misses Doga who casually side-steps the swing._

**Doga:** "Just as slow! These are Primarchs? Fools with over-inflated egos I think!"

**Perturabo:** "Watch your tongue mortal!" _He swings the axe around again._

_Doga catches the axe between his thumb and little finger, and tosses it over his shoulder with Perturabo still holding onto it in amazement._

**Doga:** "Weak as well. This is disappointing. I see now why Games Workshop did not write rules for you – deserving of them you are not!"

**Dorn:** "Well that's a little harsh. Some of us have been technically dead for two editions"

**Doga:** "Death is no excuse for neglecting your training! I see I have much to improve upon. Who taught you before?"

**Corax:** "Well no one really ... we kinda just became kings, lords, barons, emperors, and rulers of worlds through a combination of sheer luck, animal magnetism, and our over-inflated egos"

**Konrad:** "Which Horus used to great effect ..."

**Doga:** "This is not good. Come with me you shall!"

**Horus:** _Picking himself up off the ground and dusting his ego._ "Hey old geezer! What makes you think we're following you?"

**Sanguinius:**_ Grinning. "_Because he kicked your ass? I kinda like this old guy now"

**Fulgrim:** "Hey, he's got skills. I want skills. The whole 'desire for perfection' thing coming out now in full force ... I just noticed how rusty my back swing is ... do you think he can get my handicap down?"

**Sanguinius:** "I don't think he plays golf"

**Fulgrim:** "I wasn't talking about golf"

**Mortarion:** "Well I'm following him because I'm man enough to admit I need some power-up training ... especially if we want to fight C'tan"

**Russ:** "Pansy! Me and Magnus kicked the Nightbringer's ass!"

**Magnus:** "Russ that was through a rules technicality ... not skill"

**Russ:** _Muttering out of the corner of his mouth._ "Hijack my moment why don't ya?"

**Doga:** "Follow me" _He walks off in the direction of distant mountains._

**Horus:** "Well I'm not going ..."

**Lorgar:** "Yes you are"

**Horus:** "Hell no! I'm staying right here! Go on without me! Go on ... oh yeah the 'loyalists' are going ... go on you pansies! Oh Angron as well ... now Mort ... emo .. go on Lorgar ... Kon ... Pert ... Fulgrim? Al? Magnus? Hello? Anyone? Warmaster being left on his own here! Guys? Come on!! GUYS!!! ... oh screw it I'm coming! I SAID I'M COMING!"

**Fulgrim:** _Calling back._ "Keep that to yourself dear!"

**Horus:** _Growls as he hurries after the others._

_Our Primarchs tread towards the mountains, following Doga. They brave the elements (hot and sunny) and the native wildlife (cute fluffy bunnies), eventually reaching a hidden valley within the mountain range where a nice Japanese-style villa awaits them. _

**Doga:** "My home! Here you will train under my supervision!"

**Dorn:** "What shall we call you master?"

**Doga:** "I am known by many names. To the Warriors of Light, I was Doga. To her people-" _He nods at Aerith._ "- I was Bugenhagen, to others like her I was known by many names. To you ... you may know me as Pie May"

**Horus:** "Pie May what?"

**Pie May:** "Pie May Smack Your Face Silly If You Don't Respect Him!"

**Horus:** _Muttering. _"Good comeback ..."

**Pie May:** Your training begins now! There will be no respite, no forgiveness ... there will be only effort! I will not take any reply but 'Yes Master', I will not see anything but total obedience!"

**Fulgrim:** _Folding his many arms._ "And why should we suffer this humiliation and dents to our beloved egos?"

**Pie May:** "Do you wish to become badasses?"

**Fulgrim:** "We already are"

**Pie May:** _Raises a single eyebrow._ "Show me"

**Fulgrim:** _Grins._ "With pleasured"

**Dorn:** "Have you guys forgotten what he did to Horus and Perturabo?"

**Fulgrim:** "That was them, this is now and it's me we're talking about ..." _He leaps forward._

_Ten seconds later ..._

**Dorn:** "I stand with smug satisfaction that I was once again right ..."

**Fulgrim:** _Lying in a broken heap amongst some flowers._ "Nneerrr ...."

**Pie May:** "Your first task Snake-Boy is to repair the garden you destroyed with your foolish arrogance! I expect it to be perfect when I return!" _He turns to the rest, who cower (except Mort, who's Despair incarnate anyway)_ "You! Follow me! Aerith! Prepare tea my dear, I shall be enjoying a pleasant drink while these fools begin their long path"

**Aerith:** "Get tea. I like that ... no chance of psycho ex-genetically engineered soldiers jumping me with swords ... I think ..."

**Lion:** _Whispering. _"Run little flower girl! Run!"

_She squeals and hurries off in the direction of Pie May's kitchen._

**Pie May:** "We begin!"


	75. Chapter 75

_**Chapter Seventy-five**_

_The training begins ..._

**Pie May:** "Release all you have known, embrace that you know nothing!"

**Fulgrim:** "Well of course we know nothing – you told us to release all we know! What do we have left? By all rights I should have forgotten how to breath!"

**Pie May:** _Slaps Fulgrim round the back of the head with a paper fan._ "Insolence! Wisdom listens while intelligence speaks!"

**Fulgrim:** _Muttering under his breath._ "I await any evidence of that ..."

**Pie May:** _Another thwack with the paper fan._ "I hear well dumb snake-man! Take this Rhino and perform seventy-two hundred power lifts!"

**Fulgrim:** "Wha ..." _Growls and does as he is told._

**Pie May:** "What you have been taught is pitiful! You have had nothing but praise from everyone you meet – you know not the sorrow of rejection, of doubt, of despair or dislike!"

**Mortarion:** "Some of us have ..."

**Pie May:** _Thwack!_ "You have experienced only the undying loyalty from everyone you meet! No one has pointed out your failures! No one has highlighted your inexperience! The result? You have pride! Too much pride! And because of your pride you fail!"

**Horus:** "Dude, we **don't** fail! We're Pri-" _Thwack!_ "Holy crap man! That **hurts!**"

**Pie May:** "You fail because you believe you do not need to learn! You refuse all those who try to impart wisdom! The result? You fail!"

**Magnus:** "Yup. They're idiots. Teach them!"

**Pie May:** _Thwack! _"Do not be so quick to impart negative words to your brothers! The bond of family is one tighter than iron!"

**Sanguinius:** "Oh yeah, very tight. Where were you when Horus tore me into small pieces?"

**Dorn:** "What are you talking about? You look quite whole in those illustrations ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Dude – **lightning claws**! What do you think they do? Give you mild bruising?"

**Dorn:** "Good point"

**Pie May:** _Thwack! Thwack! _"No talking when I'm monologuing!"

**Dorn:** "Argh! Sheesh ... warn me before you do that ... what's that fan made out of?"

**Pie May:** "Paper"

**Sanguinius:** "That's impossible! Mere paper shouldn't hurt us that much!"

**Pie May:** _Thwack! _"Again! The arrogance within you cries that such things must be impossible, and yet the pain you feel says otherwise? Contradiction, no? The answer is simple, and will occur to you if your mind is freed from the chains of superiority your foolish father has allowed"

**Dorn:** "Hey! Don't talk about dad that way! Sure he was irresponsible, oversighted, egotistic, brash, arrogant ... annoying ... uncompromising ... actually you're right dad was a fool ..."

**Vulkan:** "Yeah, dad was an idiot. You'd think he would have given us a _Chaos For Dummies_ guide before we left Terra ..."

**Magnus:** "Isn't that one of Lorgar's books?"

**Lorgar:** "Probably, I lose track myself ..."

**Pie May:** _Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!_

**Horus:** "Heh"

**Pie May:** _Thwack! _"Laugh not at the misery of others! Lest you want me to point out **every single tactical failing** of your part!"

**Horus:** "Hey, my rebellion was perfect!"

**Pie May:** _Thwack! _"A mortal cannot achieve perfection! That is denied to all of us! The best one can achieve is to endlessly pursue perfection, yet never attain it"

**Fulgrim:** "Then what's the point?"

**Pie May:** "The pursuit is the point, foolish snake-man! To devote your life to a goal, even if the goal cannot be reached, is the most noble of pursuits"

**Fulgrim:** "Or a fine way to waste your life ..."

**Pie May:** _Thwack!_ "Says the silly snake-man led astray by a talking sword!"

**Fulgrim:** "Hey! I didn't ask for a Plot Device to be handed to me as an **excuse** to turn traitor! I was quite happy going along with my buddy Horus!"

**Horus:** "Cheers man!"

**Fulgrim:** "Don't get too emotional – I said I **was** happy ... that 'buddy' part was also past tense"

**Horus: **"What happened Fulgrim? When did things end up like this between us?"

**Fulgrim:** "Horus, I loved you like a brother ... but then came the revelation that I'm copying some alien snakes and talking to a sword ... it's just too much of a confusing transition for me ... I need to understand my place in this changing world ..."

**Pie May:** "And you shall, but you must listen to me first! I understand change – I have seen many worlds, many alterations, many new combat systems (although _Final Fantasy 8_'s sucked badly ...), so I understand change. Listen to me, and you shall too!"

**Dorn:** "Oh excellent, thankfully they haven't got around to me yet. I'm sure a secret banana fetish will soon be used as an excuse for my Legion's colour scheme ..."

**Magnus:** "Apparently I can appear in other people's dreams ... when did that happen?"

**Alpharius:** "Dude ... I didn't know I had a t-"

**All:** "SHUT UP!"

**Dorn:** "Al, we're not going to spoil _Legion_ until everyone's had a chance to read it!"

**Alpharius:** "Fair enough ... but I want to know what else I have up my sleeve ... apparently I'm so good even **I** don't know half of what I'm capable of ... I mean where the **hell** did all that come from?"

**Dorn:** "Dan Abnett's imagination"

**Alpharius:** "Sneaky bastard. He can have it all back. It'll just give dad the biggest ego boost the franchise has ever seen ... a frankly the implications for me **suck**"

**Konrad:** "Well now you've got everyone's interests piqued ..."

**Alpharius:** "Wait until yours ..."

**Konrad:** "_Night_, by Graham McNeil – new revelations about the Night Lords Legion! Their secret ordnance weapon fetish! Their love of Obliterators! Konrad Curze likes My Little Pony! Read about the thrilling infiltration by a lone assassin who most certainly **was not** allowed in without resistance, and who killed the Primarch in single combat **with a spoon**!"

**Pie May:** _MEGA THWACK!_ "Cynicism will not be tolerated ... as likely as all that may be ... now you shall remain like this until I return from my tea ceremony"

**Horus:** "How long will that take?"

**Pie May: **_Walking away. _"Tea must be served correctly ... which may take between two to four days ..."

**Horus:** "Oh ... SCREW YOU!!!"

**Lorgar:** "So ... what does everyone want to talk about?"

**Dorn:** "My leg hurts ..."

_We pull pack to see that our heroes are balancing via one leg atop mile-high steel poles in a sea of lava. Pie May has retreated on a hover skiff. A fierce wind threatens to blow the Primarchs off into the molten rock below._

**Horus:** "Who's smart idea was all this?"


	76. Chapter 76

_**Chapter Seventy-six**_

_Horus stands alone before a wall. His fist mere inches from its surface. He draws a deep breath ... listens to the elements around him ... summons the god-like strength within him ... and PUNCHES THE DAMN WALL!_

_There is a moment of silence, then the great Primarch gently cradles his fist and screams in pain._

**Horus:** "... ****!!!! ****ing ****!!!!"

**Pie May:** "Weak! Again!"

**Horus:** "What?!? Are you insane? Look ... the Bride had to punch through a **wooden** plank! Can I have that! This is a **forty foot thick adamantium wall**!!! For crying out loud even dad had problems punching through adamantium!"

**Pie May:** "You are not your father. You have greater potential! Now – again!!"

**Horus:** "But ... argh! Fine!" _Faces the wall again and punches it a second time. He winces as his superhuman strength is rejected by the HARDEST METAL KNOWN TO GEEKDOM! (Wolverine uses it; anything less and Wolverine's sheer badassery would destroy it utterly.)_

**Magnus:** "I think there's harder metals ..."

**Horus:** _In pain._ "Shut ... up ... Magnus!"

**Lorgar:** "Seriously don't give shorty over there-" _He nods at Pie May_. "-any ideas ..."

**Vulkan:** "How about S L Jacksoninium? Made from Samuel L Jackson's concentrated sweat"

**Angron:** "Norrisanium? Chuck Norris distilled into concentrated awesomeness"

**Alpharius:** "How about Shutthehellupium?"

**Angron:** "What's that made of?"

**Alpharius:** "Shut The Hell Up"

**Angron:** "Do you want to take this outside?"

**Alpharius:** "... we **are** outside ..."

**Angron:** "Meant ... erm ... more outside than ..."

**Alpharius:** "Stop talking. What shall the rest of us do while Horus tries to punch his way through an impossible barrier?"

**Horus:** "See? Impossible – what he said!"

**Pie May:** "Impossible, it is not. You, Alpharius, shall follow me. I have a special task for you"

**Alpharius: **_Follows Pie May._ "What is it?"

**Pie May:** _Points to a distant tree on the horizon. _"See that tree? The fruit of that tree makes delicious cake topping. Get some for me, and I shall let you eat a slice of the cake"

**Alpharius:** "Oh, cake ... goodie. Well ... it's a tree in the middle of a large grassy plain ... should be easy to get-"

_The grassy plain suddenly rears up and takes a bite out of a passing herd of dinosaur-like creatures. _

**Alpharius:** "Wait ... that plain's **alive?**"

**Pie May:** "The tree is a method of attracting prey. But the fruit does taste nice ..." _He grins._

**Alpharius:** "You are a cruel and evil little man, and I hope you die soon" _He begins walking off in the direction of the Living Plain_. "Come on you freak of nature; lets get this over with ..."

**Pie May:** "Excellent ... now Magnus?"

**Magnus:** "Yes? What evil task will you threaten me with?"

**Pie May:** "Design a character that can beat Pun-Pun"

**Magnus:** _His face drains of colour._ "But Pun-Pun's invulnerable ... he's the most broken D&D character ever! He has **every freaking ability** under the sun! Infinite hit points! He's unbeatable!"

**Pie May:** "Good. Fun you will have then. Now ... Vulkan!"

**Vulkan:** _Muttering._ "Oh gods ..."

**Pie May:** "Gods no save you now! Challenge I had set you is intensely difficult! Will require all your cunning and skill!"

**Vulkan:** _Still muttering._ "Wait for it ..."

**Pie May:** "Make tea"

**Vulkan:** "Make t- _make tea_?!?"

**Pie May:** "Yes. Thirsty I am"

**Lorgar:** "Hey, how comes you get let off so easily?"

**Pie May:** "Lorgar – wife called. Wants you home by tea. You're already several hundred years late. She not happy"

**Lorgar:** "Oh crap ..."

**Pie May:** "Husband in doghouse – I am amused. Now ... where are others? They should have finished remodelling mountain ..."

_Meanwhile, elsewhere in Pie May's estate ..._

**Sanguinius:** _Cleaning the dishes. _"So let me see if I understand this. After losing a vast amount of profits after announcing that the fifth edition of _Warhammer 40,000_ will feature an expanded collection of Marine Codices while all xenos races will feature in a single Codex to enlarge shelf space for more marine products, Games Workshop was promptly bought up by Square-Enix in a case of lost in translation when **they** thought they were buying **GAME**, as in the electronic games stores as a way of expanding their empire and charge their western competitors extra by forcing them to sell their games through Square-Enix owned stores"

**Aerith:** _Drying the dishes. _"Yup. So the plan backfired, but Square-Enix recovered by incorporating the _Warhammer _franchises into the _Final Fantasy_ universes. Hence me being here"

**Mortarion:** _Checking the dishes for corruption._ "So we're what? _Final Fantasyhammer_?"

**Aerith:** "_Final Fantasy Stupid Gaijin Dystopia Franchise IN SPACE!_**"**

**Sanguinius:** "Wow ... I've no idea what that means ... but it has 'stupid' in there so I'm insulted ..."

**Mortarion:** "Same here. I say after this training is finished and we go back in time, we teach Square-Enix a lesson **before** they **** up our franchise"

**Sanguinius:** "Agreed. What say you Fulgrim?"

_They turn to Fulgrim, who's sitting in a corner sewing. _

**Fulgrim:** "Excellent idea gents. Any plans where to start?"

**Mortarion:** "I dunno ... by the Lord of Manflu I miss Ev'rii ..."

**Sanguinius:** "You miss the sex" _Grinning he elbows Mort in the side._

**Mortarion:** "We haven't done it yet"

_Stunned silence._

**Sanguinius:** "But ... she's a hot Daemonette ... why not?"

**Mortarion: **"We're waiting for the right moment ... a romantic holiday ... in an British National Health Service hospital ... and amongst all the decay and disease I'll propose ... and we'll make mad, passionate, gothic love amongst the corpses in the morgue ... then go visit the maternity ward and illuminate the newborns on how much life will suck"

_Stunned silence._

**Aerith:** "How ... romantic ... I guess"

**Mortarion:** "Isn't it?"

**Sanguinius:** "Yeah ... and now I'm reminded why I insisted on being in the test tube on the other side of the labs to you when we were young ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**

**Horus:** "ARGH! DAMMIT - MY HAND!!"


	77. Chapter 77

_**Chapter Seventy-seven**_

**Pie May:** "Your task, silly emo boy, is to introduce today's chapter"

**Mortarion:** "We're being held hostage by a psycho midget, forced to endure hellish training and wash up after meals. I think I broke something sliding down a mountain ... I miss my girlfriend ... my life sucks ..."

**Pie May:** "Thank you oh unlimited source of optimism ... I now declare this chapter begins!"

**Aerith:** "Who are you talking to?"

**Pie May:** "No one my dear ... is that the tea? Ah ... the aroma is delightful ... can you not smell that Mortarion?"

**Mortarion:** "Smells like something I might enjoy ... ergh"

**Pie May:** "Fun, you are not. Follow me smelly man"

**Mortarion:** "Hey, if I smell it's because a certain someone doesn't let me shower in the mornings any more ..."

**Pie May:** "Training is more important! Like now! Less complaining! More obedience!"

**Mortarion:** "Whatever ..."

_Thwack!_

**Mortarion:** "ARGH! HOW THE HELL CAN PAPER HURT SO MUCH?!?"

**Pie May:** "When you are sufficiently learned, teach you this I shall"

**Mortarion:** "And the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique?"

**Pie May:** "If you fancy it, now come!"

**Mortarion:** _Sighing._ "As you wish ..."

_**Alpharius:**__ Looking a bit worse for wear. "_Done it"

**Mortarion:** _Jumping almost out of his skin. _"Argh! Where did you appear from?"

**Alpharius:** "Your mum. Look here's the fruit"

**Pie May:** _Takes the juicy red fruit. _"Ah! How very wonderful! You may rest now ... you have done well young padawan"

**Alpharius:** "Yeah ... rest ... think I'll go collapse somewhere ..."

_Wanders off in the vague direction of where the Primarchs are currently sleeping ... when they do sleep ... if in fact they actually sleep ... do they sleep? Do they __**actually**__ sleep? Do they go the toilet as well? I'm sorry if these questions seem exceptionally nerdish, but __**they must be asked!**__ If only for the good of this series!_

**Mortarion:** "Don't look at me"

_I wasn't._

**Mortarion:** "Oh ... please look at me"

**Pie May:** "Cease demanding the narrator's attention and walk boy! Good gods how long must I strive to move this story arc forward so that I may depart and continue to enjoy my retirement in peace without stupid dumb Primarchs occupying my attention!"

**Mortarion:** "Was that a rhetorical question?"

**Pie May:** "It was most certainly not! It had an exclamation mark at the end!"

**Mortarion: **"I don't look at the script; I find it helps me to act in character by improvising"

**Pie May:** _Eyeing Mortarion suspiciously. _"You strange boy ..."

_Meanwhile ..._

**Horus:** "COME ON! BREAK! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY AND **MINE** BREAK!!!"

_And returning ..._

**Mortarion:** "So how's Horus doing?"

**Pie May:** "He will learn; keep walking. Now we've started at last I do not wish to stop for more plot exposition ..."

**Mortarion:** "Where's Lorgar?"

**Pie May:** "Family"

_Indeed he is. We cut to a delightful family table where several figures are tentatively tucking into a Thanksgiving-esque dinner. Lorgar sits at the head while his wife, Lelith Hesperax, sits at the opposite end. Between them their half-Eldar, half-Primarch son and daughter eat while enjoying their parent's uncomfortable silence._

**Lelith:** "So ..."

**Lorgar:** "Don't start"

**Lelith:** "Don't start what?"

**Lorgar:** "It was Horus' fault. We got lost ... in time ... and I ended up late. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to miss Aunt Beth's funeral ..."

**Lelith:** "Liam made a lovely speech ... didn't you Liam?"

**Liam:** "What? Oh yes ... it was lovely mother ..." _Quickly goes back to eating._

**Lelith:** "See?"

**Lorgar:** "I see you've trained the kids well to your evil commands ... anything else I should have noticed by now dear?"

**Lelith:** "I'm filing for divorce"

_The kids grimace. They've been expecting this._

**Lorgar:** "What? Wait ... you can't divorce me!"

**Lelith:** "Why? Because you're a Primarch?" _She scoffs._

**Lorgar:** "Why are you doing this?"

**Lelith:** "Because you're never here! You've never been here! You've always been off somewhere writing books about your silly concept of Chaos and preaching to people who've only signed up for the cool free Daemonic Gifts! You're never **with us!**"

**Lorgar:** "I can ... I can change ... I can be a better Primarch ... man ... I can **be better!**"

**Lelith:** _She gets up, a sad expression on her face._ "Too late I'm afraid ... Liam ... X ... come here. We're leaving"

_As his wife and kids leave the room, Lorgar sits stunned. _

**Lorgar:** "Wait ... I can change this ... this is the future ... I can change this ..."

_He leaps up and runs off in the direction of the PLOT DEVICE that shall take him home (how did he get here anyway? Where is here? What is here? So many questions this chapter!)._

**Lorgar:** "I can fix this! I can change this! I can-"

**Tzeentch:** "Of course you can ..."

_He stops, then backtracks to where the strange cloaked woman is leaning with another odd female, dressed in clothes that don't match and covered in more tattoos than the average sailor. _

**Falal:** "Hey ... long time no see"

**Tzeentch:** "Time to say hi to Magnus ... we're **very** upset he went exploring the fourth dimension without us"

**Falal:** "That's OK though ... we got the message"

**Lorgar:** "What message?"

**Tzeentch:** "Doga, silly. We're to **help** you in your training ..."

**Vulkan:** "What is it Konrad? Precognition again?"

**Konrad:** "I fear something horrible is about to happen ... and I don't mean C S Goto writing a _Horus Heresy_ book!"


	78. Chapter 78

_**Chapter Seventy-eight**_

"_There comes a time in every story's run where questions must be answered. Serious questions, like how do _Star Trek _teleporters know where to find every atom in your body? How does a lightsabre know when to __**stop? **__How does Cloud Strife's hair stick up like that (what gel does he use)? Does Jack Baur take a crap, ever? What are Eldar toilets like? Do the Human-like female Cylons have menstrual cycles (and wouldn't that be delightful)? What __**would**__ sex with the now undead Sylvanas Windrunner be like? More to the point – how __**awesome**__ would it be? These are incredibly nerdy questions that generally, when said out loud, result in said speaker finding himself rapidly alienated by any sentient creature within earshot. However, these questions __**must**__ be asked dammit! And I'm going to ask them!" - Well ... me I suppose ... _

**Perturabo:** "Man ... just ... **get a life**"

_Anyway ... as the title of this new part in PRIMARCHS suggests, it's time to start asking the serious questions nerds have been asking for years. The questions that, if revealed, would destroy the very fabric of the universe! _

_Well ... at least be somewhat squicky ..._

_But I digress ... we return to our heroes where we last left them; enduring the hellish training of a certain Pie May (who briefly considered Cake May, but then realised that the cake is, in fact, a pie, and went from there). Horus continues to flail ineffectually against an adamantium wall, Sanguinius and Fulgrim learn of humility by performing such mundane tasks as washing up the dishes and cleaning people's clothes._

**Sanguinius:** "Humility? Try **humiliation!**"

**Fulgrim:** "I don't know ... these pink rubber gloves are rather fetching don't you think? The colour definitely brings the highlights on my scales"

**Sanguinius:** "... words fail me at this point ..."

_Ahem ... while those two enjoy themselves, Alpharius is busy enjoying well-deserved rest. Has he finished all that Pie May has set him, or is his __**real**__ test yet to come?_

**Alpharius:** "Dude ... **not** funny – that field nearly killed me!"

_What evil awaits Mortarion, who managed to prolong his ordeal by a whole chapter via mundane monologue? Speaking of evil, what is this that Tzeentch and Falal bring to the table? Not Lorgar's table, mind you ... that's still got their dinner on it (getting quite cold by now I would think ...)._

**Magnus:** "T! Falal!"

_The two gods run up to the monstrous form of the Primarch and hug his legs (they just barely reach his knee, it should be added. I hope I've made it clear Magnus' Daemonic form is __**large**__). _

**Tzeentch:** "Magnus! You traversed the fourth dimension without me!"

**Falal:** "And me! Dammit Magnus **I **wanted to screw up the continuum!"

**Magnus:** "Sorry, didn't realise we would be travelling to a future filled with J-pop and hyper-active under age girls!"

**Perturabo:** _Gazing at the scene with barely controlled envy._ "Words cannot begin to describe how **unfair** this whole thing is"

**Vulkan:** _Laughs and slaps Perturabo on the thigh (this isn't creepy, that's as high as he can reach. Perturabo is also quite large ... and largely made of metal by now). _"Relax Pert. Let Magnus have his well-deserved fun ... and I don't know why **you're** looking like that Russ. How many women can you claim?"

**Russ:** _Thinks for a moment._ "Do those Siamese twins count as one or two girls?"

**Perturabo:** "Two"

**Russ:** "Then about ... fifty ... odd ... thousand methinks ... yeah, that's about right"

**Perturabo:** _Is silent for some time, then eventually mutters_. "I hate you so much"

**Vulkan:** "Relax; not all of us can paint an entire Skaven tournament army in a single night, and have it looking so good most of the 'Eavy Metal team broke down in tears upon seeing it and burnt all what they had been working on because it could never look as good"

**Perturabo:** "Well ... that is true ... the shining moment of my life I believe"

**Vulkan:** "Aside from the Iron Cage"

**Perturabo:** "Of course. That **was** a laugh ..."

**Vulkan:** "Dorn didn't find it very amusing"

**Perturabo:** "Dorn has no sense of humour"

**Dorn:**_ Approaching from the kitchens, where he had been spending quality time laughing at Sanguinius. "_What was that?"

**Perturabo:** "Absolutely nothing that might incriminate me in further anti-Imperial Fist activities"

**Dorn:** "Well ... good ... I suppose ..."

**Konrad:** "YOU!" _He rushes down the hill from where he had been meditating at the end of last chapter. _

**Tzeentch:** "Who's he talking to?"

**Konrad:** _Reaching them and pausing for a microsecond to catch his breath._ "The other one, you!"

**Falal:** "Ah, he's talking to **me**"

**Konrad:** "I saw you in a dream I had, a dream of a future ... a dark future ... where death is around ever corner ... hope is but the dream of the foolish ... and war engulfs all ..."

**Magnus:** "What are you insinuating Konrad?"

**Konrad:** _Grabs Falal by the shoulders._ "She's the one! She'll bring what we seek!"

**Dorn:** "What? Make sense man!"

**Konrad:** "Our grim darkness! The insanity! The nightmare far future! I have seen its return! This girl is the key! The key to bring it all back!"

**Falal:**_ Grinning. "_See T? You should have never banished me – I'm **important **bitch!"

**Tzeentch:** "Oh **please ...** I engineered this whole thing so you could come in and save the day and everyone else would welcome you back with open arms"

**Falal:** "I'm never sure whether you're just ********ting or you **actually** planned all this"

**Tzeentch:** "Oh don't you just want to know ..." _She leans closer to Falal._ "But just between you and me girl ... just ... as ... fething ... planned"

**Perturabo:** "Could you do that again?"

**Tzeentch:** "?"

**Perturabo:** "Lean close to her- argh! Why did you slap me like that?"

**Magnus:** "Those are my girlfriends you're talking about ... wow ... using the plural feels awesome ..."

**Perturabo:** "Yeah, rub it in why don't you? Some of us only have miniatures to go home to"

**Vulkan:** "**Golden Daemon** winning miniatures"

**Perturabo:** "True ..."

_Lorgar appears from seemingly nowhere in a blinding flash._

**Dorn:** "Careful with those teleporters! A little to the left and I'll be cleaning you off my armour!"

**Lorgar:** "Sorry about that Rogal, where's that little git?"

**Pie May:** "Returned have we?"

_Everyone jumps, except Tzeentch (who probably knew it was going to happen)._

**Dorn:** "Where the **hell** did you come from?"

**Pie May:** "Matters not; soon you will be united, and the real training shall begin!"

**Lorgar:** "Excuse me? But we're all already here!"

**Pie May:** "Not quite ... two are missing. They approach with due haste ..."

**Konrad:** "What? Carl's coming here?"

**Magnus:** "Forget Carl ... **she's** coming as well ..."

_The Primarchs all simultaneously shudder._

**Falal:** "What's this? Who's coming? Did you say '**she'**?"

**Lorgar:** "Oh yes. The biggest secret in the 40K universe, hidden to prevent nerd rage and fluff nazis from tearing it apart in blind fury. Nineteen brothers, and one sister ... designed so dad wouldn't have to suffer the wrath of feminists who would claim an all-male Astartes sexist. Only ..."

**Perturabo:** "She turned out to be **too** effective. A lot more adept at mass genocide than a man in ways only a woman could be ..."

**Lorgar:** "Indeed. In order to avoid embarrassing the entire gender dad had her locked up somewhere out of sight and liquidated her legion. Then ordered that girls be given only a single army in the form of Sister of Battle. Xenos didn't count, as they're not Space Marines"

**Magnus:** "Oh dear ... we get to see sis again ... dear, darling Hecate ..."

_They shudder again._

**Dorn:** "We're all going to **die**"


	79. Chapter 79

_**Chapter Seventy-nine**_

_Our heroes, the every-reliable (in the sense we can rely on them to be unreliable) Primarchs, stand united at the side of a large landing pad built into the side of the mountain a mere mile from Doga's villa complex._

**Lorgar:** "If you had this, why did we spend weeks walking here from the grasslands below?" _He nods in the direction of the great flat stretch of land miles to the south of the mountains. _

**Pie May:** "This way amused me"

_They look up as the sound of an approaching Thunderhawk heralds the arrival of the reason why the Primarchs have gathered together, taking a moment of peace from their hellish training._

**Sanguinius:** _Staring at his hands._ "My beautiful skin ... soiled by dirty dishwater!"

**Vulkan:** "Pull yourself together man!"

**Horus:** "Heads up guys; hell approaches"

_The Thunderhawk touches down in front of them, and after a few moments the ramp lowers. Footsteps sound, and the Primarchs hold their collective breaths ..._

**Carl:** "Hey guys! How's it hanging? Look – I bought some booze and weed ... anyone know of a good place we can crash?"

**Horus:** "Oh thank the Gods ... it's just you ... hey long time no see Carl-"

**?: **"HORUS, YOU UTTER FAILURE OF A MAN, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!?!"

_Magnus stands in amazement as he realises he's alone on the landing pad. Everyone else seems to have vanished from sight (except Pie May, who stands beside him with a huge grin on his face, and Aerith who stands looking bemused next to Cypher, who merely looks confused. Falal and Tzeentch stand to one side with popcorn (no idea where that came from)). _

**Magnus:** "Guys; don't hide **behind **me!!"

**Horus:** _His voice muffled from squeezing alongside his brothers behind Magnus' large bulk (the other Daemon Primarchs are making admirable attempts to hide their own, huge bulk). _"Well you're large enough!!"

_Carl jumps out of the way as a large Amazonian figure of a woman strides down the Thunderhawk's ramp clad in brilliant white armour and carrying a sword of Dreadnought-sized proportions on her back._

**Aerith:** _Taking a photo of Hecate with her camera._ "Wait until I show Cloud that sword; he'll be in depression for weeks!"

**Cypher:** "You can be exceedingly cruel when you want, you know that?"

**Hecate:** _Striding up to Magnus._ "What the **hell** have you become Magnus?"

_**Magnus:**__ Squirming in embarrassment. "_Er ... a Daemon Prince sis ..."

**Hecate:** "You look **ridiculous. **What's with the single eye? Going for a Cyclops look? You know how much of a bulls-eye that is?" _She flicks it with her fingers, Magnus recoils in pain._ "What's with all this fat? Have you been neglecting your training?"

**Magnus:** "No it's ****** 90s sculpting!"

**Hecate:** "That's no excuse! And the rest of you can come out from behind this big oaf – I know you're hiding behind there Horus, I can practically smell the failure!"

**Horus:** _Slowly creeping out._ "That's a bit harsh ..."

**Hecate:** "Warmaster! Dad made **you** Warmaster! And what do you do? You go prancing off to those hussies-" _Jerks a finger over her shoulder to Falal and Tzeentch, who throw her looks that could slay legions._ "-as a way of gratitude. **Nice work genius**. By the Truth, dad always said you had more muscles than brain in that sorry excuse for a hyper-genetically engineered body of yours"

**Horus:** "Hey ... er ... look. While you've been-"

**Hecate:** "Imprisoned?"

**Horus:** "-er ... yeah ... that ... while you've been there I've been conquering the galaxy! I almost beat up the old man!"

**Hecate:** "**Almost** being the word of choice. Sums you up quite nicely Horus. **Almost**"

**Horus:** "Look here sister-"

_Hecate swings the sword up in a broad circle to meet Horus' groin. There's a sickening thud as a force capable of destroying mountains collides between the Primarch's legs. Every man within sight winces in excruciating pain (which is probably nothing compared to what Horus is now feeling). Horus himself collapses backwards, clutching his balls._

**Dorn:** "Between the legs – a Space Marine's **only** weak spot!!"

**Hecate:** "Don't back-chat me ... right. What do the rest of you have to say for yourselves?"

**Mortarion:** "Please don't hurt us!"

**Perturabo:** "Good Gods man, grow some backbone"

**Hecate:** _Counting heads._ "Where's that big blue failure?"

**Alpharius:** "We lost him through a Necrontyr portal ... sometime several hundred years ago ..." _He shuffles around, now quite uncomfortable under his sister's penetrating stare._

**Hecate:** "How very careless of you Omegon"

**Alpharius:** "Who? I'm afraid I've no idea what you're talking about"

**Hecate:** _She sighs and swings her sword around; hurling it at a nearby tree. There's a cry and someone large falls out. _"There you are Alpharius"

**Alpharius:** _Rubbing his head, where the sword hit. _"Ouch ... that hurt. Thanks sis ..."

_Hecate catches the sword as it returns to her. _

**Horus:** "Holy crap! There's **two** of them?!?"

**Hecate:** "Of course you fool! Where the hell have you lot been all these years?"

**Vulkan:** "Blind obviously ... so that explains how you could be everywhere so easy ..."

_Omegon and Alpharius stand next to each other, looking quite sheepish._

**Omegon:** "Gig's up man"

**Alpharius:** "Yeah ... it was fun while it lasted ..."

**Horus:** "Wait ... so that makes twenty-one Primarchs ... erm ..."

**Alpharius:** "Me and O share the Legion"

**Omegon:** "And clothes, and food, and girls ..."

**Alpharius:** "Dude ... **too far**"

**Pie May:** "Now we are **all** together, secret unknown twins included, let us celebrate with a drink!"

_The Primarchs cheer up at the thought, and ignoring Hecate's disproving stare rush to take a cup of beverage from Aerith. _

**Pie May:** "A toast! To your Primarchs!"

_They all cheer, and down their drinks (Hecate included, albeit reluctantly). Suddenly, they fall to the ground unconscious._

**Pie May:** "Too easy ..."

**Abaddon:** "My lord?"

_Horus opens his eyes to stare into the collective faces of Abaddon, Torgaddon, Loken; in fact the whole of his old officers of the Luna Wolves all staring at him in worry. He looks around to find the environment strikingly familiar._

**Horus:** "Where am I?"

**Abaddon:** "Aboard the _Vengeful Spirit_ sir ... may I inquire as to how you feel?"

**Horus:** "What happened?"

**Loken:** "My lord ... we've arrived at Terra ... the Emperor wishes to see you, to congratulate you on your success"

**Horus:** "My success? What happened? Speak Garviel!"

**Loken:** _Taken aback by the sudden change in his Primarch's behaviour._ "My lord ... we've ended ... the Great Crusade has ended ... the galaxy has been unified by the Imperial Truth ..."

**Abaddon:** "The Imperium of Man dominates the galaxy, and it's because of you ... Warmaster"

**Aximand:** "My lord? Are you still feeling the effects of your wound on Davin?"

**Horus:** "Davin?"

**Abaddon:** "You were wounded by the traitor Erebus"

**Aximand:** "His fellow Word Bearers are to be publicly executed in honour of your achievements. Lorgar himself awaits your judgement for his crime"

**Horus: **_Stares at his hands. _"Yes ... it was just a dream ... an unpleasant dream ..." _He looks up, and notices a familiar hooded woman at the back of the room watching him. She raises a finger to her lips and smiles, before disappearing from sight._ "... a dream"


	80. Chapter 80

_**Chapter Eighty**_

_Thousands line the streets, and millions more squeeze themselves into the vast plaza leading to the gates of the Imperial Palace. Giant statues of nineteen Primarchs stare down at the throngs assembled below them. One Primarch is conspicuous in his absence; the statue of Lorgar having been taken down many centuries ago after his attempt on Horus' life. It currently resides in a large warehouse along with the Ark of the Covenant and Rosebud._

_A Thunderhawk approaches the stone plateau above the crowds, escorted by Imperial Thunderbolts in formation. The boarding ramp lowers, and several Luna Wolves march down and line themselves either side of the ramp. Saluting their Primarch, they watch with barely constrained pride as Horus walks down the ramp to greet the shining gold figure that radiates such extreme AWESOME that many watching shield their eyes lest their minds explode. _

**Horus:** "Father!" _He greets the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Initially with the Aquilla salute, then wraps his arms around his dad in a manly hug (like a normal hug, but with lots of back-slapping so both participants can assure themselves that they're not gay). _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"My son, my Warmaster ... my Horus. You have given me the galaxy"

**Horus:** "As I promised dad. We planted flags on every world in the known galaxy"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Flags eh? How devilishly cunning of you! Lets see those sneaky Eldar get past good old fashioned flags!"

**Sanguinius:** _Approaching the two from where he had stood behind the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! with his brothers. He shakes Horus' hand._ "Nice work bro. Unfortunately you lost the bet"

**Horus:** "What? Who won?"

**Sanguinius:** _Jerking his head back over his shoulders, getting a mouthful of feathers in the process. _"Alpharius, somehow he managed to conquer twice as many worlds as any one of us!"

**Horus:** "How did he manage that, I wonder?"

**Sanguinius:** "You know our brother; he's manipulative tricks know no bounds. He probably tricked them all into conquering themselves. Predictably, however, Carl came last. He managed a total of one single planet, and that's only because it contained abundant plant life that, when smoked, provided excellent hallucinogenic properties"

**Horus: **_Laughs. _"Come brother! Tell me more over a good old fashioned pint!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"An excellent idea! Malcador!"

**Malcador:** _Appearing from seemingly nowhere._ "Yes, my lord?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Order pizza! With extra garlic bread, and none of that 'low-fat toppings' nonsense!"

**Malcador:** "I shall see to it that they have the finest toppings with Imperial-approved crusts"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Good man, now come my sons ... and you too Hecate dear – now don't give me that look – let us celebrate!"

**Hecate:** _Whispering to Malcador._ "Diet coke please, and hold back on the anchovies; they go straight to my hips"

**Malcador:** "Yes my lady" _Waits until they depart before rolling his eyes and signalling various scribes and Adeptus minions to do his bidding._

_**Several hours later ...**_

_The Primarchs are settled back in their own personal cinema, toasting victory with large amounts of pizza (twice the average intake of the USA in fast food lies around them), and knocking back enough alcohol to kill Ireland five times over. _

**Dorn:** "You know ... given the choice ... I think I'll go for Natalie Portman ..."

**Perturabo:** "What? Scarlett Johansson, all the way. What fool goes for Portman?"

**Magnus:** "I'm going to have to agree with Dorn here; know how many languages she speaks?*"

**Konrad:** "Magnus does have a soft spot for the intelligent girls doesn't he?"

_We pull back from these Primarchs to where Horus sits alone near the back of the cinema, deep in thought. He looks up to see Sanguinius approaching. _

**Sanguinius:** "Throne for your thoughts, brother?" _[Author's Note: He's referring to the general currency of the Imperium, not the Webway-blocking PLOT DEVICE]_

**Horus:** "I had the strangest dream on the way back from the Halo Stars ... so vivid ..."

**Sanguinius: **_Sitting down beside Horus, throwing aside the empty drinks cartons and pizza boxes._ "Tell me about it"

**Horus:** "I dreamt Erebus succeeded in turning me traitor, through poor dialogue and clumsy narrative. I dreamt my personality was reduced to a single dimension, and I rampaged across the Imperium turning my brothers to Chaos, or turning them against me ... I dreamed ... I dreamed I killed you"

**Sanguinius:** "Must have been a dream brother; we both know you're **** in combat" _He laughs._

**Horus:** "Cheers San ... it was so vivid ... as if I was there ... and it had happened ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Sounds like the plot of a bad sci-fi franchise ..."

**Horus:** "Says the guy with angel wings on his back and a complete lack of aerodynamics"

**Sanguinius:** "I can fly!"

**Horus:** "No, you **fall** with **style**. A difference, dear brother ..." _He sighs._ "I can't get this dream out of my head ... or that girl ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Oh dear ... have you fallen in love dear brother?"

**Horus:** "No ... haven't found a woman who can keep up with me yet ... no she was **different** ... I mean ... strange ... like she wasn't Human ... but she was ..."

**Sanguinius:** "You make absolutely no sense brother. I suggest taking an early night – without any women – and give yourself a chance to unwind. You've been on edge ever since Erebus tried to kill you with that PLOT DEVICE and that was **centuries **ago ..."

**Horus:** "Yeah ... I think I'll go for a walk ... take some fresh air" _He stands up and walks out the cinema._

_Horus does indeed take some fresh air, as he walks around the hundred-odd mile length of the general Imperial Palace walls (uppermost tier, the lower tiers have walls even longer. The Palace does cover most of Europe, after all). After an hour or so he becomes aware of someone following him, turning around he sees a cloaked woman standing some fifty feet behind him._

**Horus:** "You!"

_She turns around and runs off._

**Horus:** "Wait! Who are you!" _He begins to run after her._

_After a while he realises she's leading him somewhere, and he follows her through the labyrinthine passages and corridors of the Imperial Palace, going deeper and deeper into its dark underbelly. Eventually he enters a narrow tunnel deep underneath the palace. No one is in sight except the strange woman, who points to one of the many doors leading off either side of the corridor. _

_Horus walks up to the door._

**Woman:** "He's waiting in there. You have questions; he can answer them for you"

**Horus:** "Who are you?"

**Woman:** _Turning away. _"That's not an important question"

_She vanishes from sight; one moment there, the next gone. Horus turns his attention to the door, and realises he's standing outside a cell. A simple steel bolt keeps the door closed. Turning it aside, Horus steps through ..._

_... onto a beach. Waves lap lazily against the shore. _

**?:** "Hey, welcome to 'paradise'"

_Horus turns to see a familiar face lying in a deckchair underneath a red and white umbrella. _

**Horus:** "Lorgar?"

**Lorgar:** "Long time no see brother. I see you've got clearance, otherwise you would have been disintegrated after you opened that door. It's not real, you see. None of this is. We're actually just standing alone in a damp room somewhere underneath the Imperial Palace. **This**-" _He gestures around at the ocean._ "-is all in our minds. An illusion created by Malcador, the little shit"

**Horus:** "Malcador? Why? I thought he just ran the Administratum?"

**Lorgar:** "Good Gods no, Horus. Malcador's running the Imperium right under dad's nose"

**Horus:** "What are you saying brother? That Malcador's a traitor? Fine words coming from **you**"

**Lorgar:** "I don't apologise for what I did Horus. You'd understand if Graham McNeil had written _False Gods_ better ... suffice to say my eyes are open. I see what dark forces are at work here ... and it's not some Lovecraftian extra-dimensional entities eager to enslave us and syphon off our emotions. It's far worse ..."

**Horus:** "What is it? What are you talking about?"

**Lorgar:** _Takes a sip of some delicious cocktail (with a small Hawaiian umbrella). _"We're meeting target demographic"


	81. Chapter 81

_**Chapter Eighty-one**_

_Horus and Lorgar sit on a beach that's not real, knocking back beer cans that are all in their minds, taken from a portable freezer that wasn't there last chapter, all the while watching the sun set over a horizon that doesn't exist. With me so far? _

**Horus:** "So what's this all about, Lorgar? Why try and kill me?"

**Lorgar:** "I wasn't trying to kill you. I was trying to convert you"

**Horus:** "Then why not just **ask** me? Why the elaborate set-up? Why not just sit down with some explanatory pamphlets and gently guide me through the benefits and opportunities presented with Chaos worship? Why go through all the hassle of stealing a conveniently powerful sword that apparently is my **only weakness** (obviously they haven't heard about my pretzel addiction) and luring me a single moon with the sole intention of hurting me just enough that I **don't die**, then rely on apparently the only surviving chaos cult lodge in existence to place me into a trance where your best Chaplain, Erebus, can spend a pitiful amount of page space convincing me to 'join the dark side' with nothing more substantial than 'we have cookies'"

**Lorgar:** _Has been nodding almost non-stop throughout Horus' monologue. _"Yeah ... that's about it"

**Horus:** "Again, isn't that a little **too **complex (yet at the same time absurdly simple)?"

**Lorgar:** "Hey I was drunk at the time, you can't expect me to come up with a Herbert-esque labyrinthine plot that spans generations and involves no less than me, my son-turned-god-like-emperor, **his** descendants, and the clones of my best friend, all when I'm knocking back Guinness like it's not in the next Codex"  
**Horus:** "Who **is** your best friend?"

**Lorgar:** _Opens his mouth to speak, then closes it as the thought occurs to him._ "Guess I don't have any friends"_ He says finally._

**Horus:** "Guess I don't either. Abaddon's got his nose stuck so far up my ass I swear when I open my mouth it's **him** speaking out of it, while Aximand's got less personality than two planks of wood stuck together with sticky-back-plastic. Torgaddon's useless at anything remotely resembling responsibility – I swear if anyone was foolish enough to place him in charge of security on board the _Vengeful Spirit_ we'll have Eldar Farseers walking into the command chamber unchallenged"

**Lorgar:** "And Loken?"

**Horus:** "Brother – give me a break. He's so goody-goody you could cut and paste him into the _Star _Wars universe and wouldn't notice the difference. I swear he would burst into tears if he found a fallen sparrow with a broken wing"

**Lorgar:** "Heh ... as I said; we're meeting target demographic"

**Horus:** "You say that again, and I still have no idea what you mean!"

**Lorgar:** "You spend years building a harsh, unforgiving universe filled with violence and brutality, and then you realise your most profitable demographic is but little Jimmy and his mum-turned-bottomless-pit-of-cash. She's not too happy with little Jimmy playing a game whose background includes vicious genetically engineered, hyno-doctrined killing machines, so obviously something needs to be done"

**Horus:** "And that would be?"

**Lorgar: **"Happy Space Marines. Take away their inhumanity, add some nobility and honour, some sense of right and wrong. Now suddenly it's OK for little Jimmy to play his Space Marines, because they're the **good guys**"

**Horus:** "But they are! We're creating a galaxy for the better of Humanity!"

**Lorgar:** "At the expense of other species; but it's OK because they're all evil to the bone"

**Horus:** "Yeah, and they're xenos"

**Lorgar:** "Which makes them inferior?"

**Horus:** "Damn straight! They eat without a knife and fork! They slurp the bottom of coke cups with a straw! They're uncivilised and probably enjoy daytime TV! The galaxy is better off without them!"

**Lorgar:** "Good, keep thinking that. Strength of mind is important; consideration to the alien, and the contemplation that maybe Humanity and it can co-exist peacefully leads to the evil that is _Star Trek_. We're not the Federation, Horus; we're the freaking Imperium. What were we created to do?"

**Horus:** "Lead"

**Lorgar:** "Lead in what? In cake mixing? In school ethics? In championship miniature painter of the year?"

**Horus:** "In battle"

**Lorgar:** "Damn straight Horus. We're lords of war. We're soldiers without pier. We're **tools**"

**Horus:** "What?"

**Lorgar:** "Think about it Horus; what happens after war ends? Where do we go? I'll answer it for you – we'll become an embarrassment. Politicians will decry our existence as we earn a meek living doing interviews on daytime TV chat shows. We're immortal Horus, but war is not. War will eventually end, by our hand or our enemy's"

**Horus:** "You've got a point. But what's your solution?"

**Lorgar:** _Smiles. _"We keep the ball rolling. We need war, Horus. We need the continual bloody annihilation of sentient life in the name of pitiful concepts no one really cares about but those safe in their fortresses hidden behind the billions of 1 wound meat shields they've formed around them. We need war to survive, to continue to provide us with meaning. Without meaning, Horus, what are we? We're redundant tools of an era long gone, and I have no desire to become redundant"

**Horus:** "We need war"

**Lorgar:** "We need enemies. We need to fight them. The Orks, bless their green socks, have but one thing right in their existence; they don't concern themselves about politics, employment opportunities, or whether that girl on the other side of the bar has been trying to get your attention all evening and you're just too stupid to notice (although that's mainly because they're all fungus anyway). They fight. They have their existence down to a perfect concept, one free of complication. They live for war. They're like us Horus. We were designed, engineered, and created to fight. We weren't designed to be politics, and engage lengthy discussions about the correct tithes to demand from Imperial worlds. We're designed to crush them under our hands like a small glove"

**Horus:** "That's why you turned traitor?"

**Lorgar:** "What? No. I turned 'traitor', in you insist on calling me that, simply because Chaos provided me with what I needed; to combine my purpose and desire in one. An altar of war where I could slay endlessly as a sign of my devotion to a higher cause. Now all that's in crisis"

**Horus:** "By what?"

**Lorgar:** "Meeting-"

**Horus:** "-target demographic. So what; you're being dumbed down?"

**Lorgar: **"I don't feel like a three-dimensional being any more Horus. My mind is becoming smaller, and my thoughts occupy less than what they used to. Once I stared at the stars and debated the concept of free will versus predestination ... now all I think about is stabbing people with sharp objects. I'm being simplified to an archetype ... of stabbing things with sharp objects ..."

_**?:**__ "This is what could be ... should you fail"_

**Horus:** "Who said that?" _He stands up and looks around._ "Where are you?"

**Lorgar:** "Who are you talking to, Horus?"

**Horus:** _Looks down at Lorgar._ "What is happening, brother? I keep seeing strange figures ... hearing voices in my head ..."

**Lorgar:** "Oh good Chaos is trying to convert you. Embrace it brother!"

**Horus:** "This is ... is this Chaos?"

_**?:**__ "Don't be silly. I'm not sitting here next to your unconscious lump sipping green tea for no good reason! This is your dream, Horus ... a world where you succeeded! Your perfect world! Yet you're not happy ... are you?"_

**Horus:** "No ... this isn't ... this isn't right. Something's missing ..."

_**?:**__ "Then find it Horus! Find what's preventing you from becoming what you must! What you are destined to be! Your __**purpose**__!"_

**Horus:** _Begins to walk away, brimming with intention. _"My purpose"

**Lorgar:** "Er ... exit's that way"


	82. Chapter 82

_**Chapter Eighty-two**_

_Horus strides across the empty walkway with purpose and determi-_

_THWAMP!_

_One lamp post later, Horus resumes his striding across the empty walkway with purpose and determin-_

_MEOAWW!! THWAMP!_

_One squashed cat and a lamp post later, Horus resumes his striding across the empty walkway with purpose and determ-_

**Hecate:** "BROTHER!!"

_Shall I give up now? Shoving something large into the darkness behind one of the many support beams for the walkway (covered, as per Imperial architecture demands, with angels and gargoyles, and a fair amount of skulls to increase the cheerful and optimistic atmosphere) and turns to greet her brother._

**Hecate:** "I didn't expect to see you out here so late at night. Had another nightmare?"

**Horus:** "What are you talking about?"

**Hecate:** "I remember when we were young you would have nightmares in your test tube, and would make a lot of noise banging on the Absolutely Unbreakable Glass. I was the only one that could quieten you. Often by threatening to come in there and wring your scrawny little neck"

**Horus:** "My neck was never scrawny. I oozed command and authority from a single cell onwards. Anyway what the hell are **you** doing out here this late?"

**Hecate:** "Lets not go there. Warmaster or not I can still damage you in ways the Black Library can't mention in their PG-13 guidelines"

**Horus:** "Touché. I'll leave you to it"

**Hecate:** "Wait ... are you sure you're OK? You know you can talk to me any time there's something bothering you"

**Horus:** "Are you trying that 'big sis' persona again? You know what happened last time – Konrad hasn't fully recovered and Khan still can't change his facial expression past 'penetrating gaze'"

**Hecate:** "Hey, I **try**. It's more than you guys can claim. We're supposed to be **family** Horus, but none of us really talk to each other any more. Who else do we have? The Astartes? They contest amongst each other twenty-four-seven to see who can shove their noses up our asses the furthest. Don't even get me started on my girls; they make cheerleaders look stable and compassionate"

**Horus:** "Yeah ... they **scare** me ..."

**Hecate:** "My point is Horus; we're super-special-awesome-Gods-amongst-men (and women). Who do we have to talk about mundane issues on a level basis? Dad? He's too busy buying webway real estate off the Eldar to give much of a crap. That leaves ... no one"

**Horus:** "Well ... when you put it like that ..."

**Hecate:** "So what's bothering you?"

**Horus:** "Hec, I think this is entirely a constract of my imagination forced upon me by a squat old dude on some backward world in a far future where our owning company has been bought up by a Japanese games production company and merged into their most successful license (although thank the gods it wasn't _Dragon Quest_). I think I need to find some sort of character development to pass this test and obtain ultimate bad ass power"

**Hecate:** _A moment of silence._ "Right ... on second thoughts perhaps you need a psychiatrist"

**Horus:** "I thought you were going to say that ... have fun with Tarik" _He walks off, with purpose and ... oh screw it he'll probably just hit another lamp post unless I guide him through every freaking corridor ..._

_When he disappears from sight Tarik Torgaddon leaves the shadows where he had been hiding (where Hecate pushed him earlier)._

**Torgaddon:** "How did he know I was here?"

**Hecate:** "Who cares?" _She grabs him and pushes him into the shadows, only she follows this time._

_Malcador sits in an empty office casually talking on a hand-vox. His doors burst open and Horus strides through with purpose and intent (and avoids the lamp post)._

**Horus:** "Malcador you sn-"

_Malcador holds up one finger, continuing to talk on the hand-vox._

**Horus:** "Oh ... sorry ... shall I wait here?" _Malcador nods. _"OK ... ooh is this week's issue of _Cosmopolitan_? I wonder if ... oh dammit Eldrad's still number one again ..."

**Malcador:** "That's awesome. Cheers babe. Catch you later ..." _Puts the hand-vox away._ "Sorry about that. Damn Chaos Gods are complete bitches to work with, you know what I mean? Oh ... no wait ... you **don't.** 'cause you **failed**"

**Horus:** "What are you talking about?"

**Malcador:** _Spreads his arms around. _"Look around you shits-for-brains – is this what you wanted? A galaxy under one rule; united in endless red tape and petty bureaucracy? In the grim darkness of the far future there is only clauses and fine print on your latest parking ticket! This isn't for you Horus! You're a **warrior**! A lord of battle! Someone who stands at the front of large armies and screams 'THIS IS SPARTA' at the tops of their voices ... only it won't be Sparta ... probably Terra ... but you get my point"

**Horus:** "Lorgar says-"

**Malcador:** "Lorgar says a lot, mainly because he's always been your super-ego; your voice of reason for want of a better term" _He points to himself._ "Consider me your Id. I'm here to tell you to do what you want to do ... what you do **best** – kill and command"

**Lorgar:** "But kill what? And command whom? These are your choices to make, and ones to make wisely"

**Horus:** "Where did you come from?"

**Hecate:** "Ultimately you have the power and responsibility to decide for yourself – no one can truly tell you what choices you need to make. That's why dad made you Warmaster, because he believed you would make the right choices"

**Malcador: **"And you did! You sided with Chaos! You chose to continue war instead of bringing peace! A choice any warrior would have made!"

**Lorgar:** "You chose to satisfy yourself above others. To ensure none would command your obedience. You chose true personal freedom above servitude"

**Malcador:** "That's what they fear! They fear what you have become! They fear the true freedom of Chaos – beyond mere rules and laws created by mortal creatures to regulate and sustain their pitiful existence! You are beyond mortality – you are a **Primarch!** No other force could satisfy your desire for a boundless existence!"

**Hecate:** "But with great power comes ... what Uncle Ben said at any rate. Every action you make carries consequences. The Heresy was a choice, and you paid the consequence for that choice. Now you stand upon the brink of another, and the choice must be made again"

**Malcador:** "But it's simple – do what you have always done! Kill! Slaughter! Command! Conquer! These are the reasons for your existence! The dominion of a Primarch!"

**Lorgar:** "Pay heed to every death. Understand the consequences of what you choose. Only you can truly understand and appreciate the reactions to every action you take. This is also the dominion of a Primarch!"

**Hecate:** "But above all – understand and be true to yourself. Dad made you Warmaster, he knew what choices you would make"

**Horus:** _Crouches to the floor as everything overwhelms him. Eventually the voices fade. _"Yes ... I am Warmaster ... I was not made for peace ... I was not made for the world my father saw ... my world is in endless bloodshed ... my world is the crucible of war ... my world is the grim darkness of the far future ..."

_The dream around him fades, and Horus finds himself lying in a field not far from the landing pad where he fell unconscious. Without a word he steps to his feet, and ignores Pie May who watches him with interest. Without a word he walks to the adamantium wall he has been trying to punch through for the last few chapters. Without a word, he places his fist a mere inch from its smooth surface._

_Without a word he smashes it straight into the metal. Rifts spread through the wall, and it collapses around him. As the dust settles, Horus turns around to regard a pleased Pie May._

**Horus:** "I am Horus, Warmaster of Chaos. I bow to none but lords of war. Where my blade falls, death follows. Where my blade points; legions conquer. Dark has my dreams been of late, filled with moral values and family-friendly entertainment. No longer will this plague my domain! The grim darkness of the far future shall return, by my command!"

_There is silence, as everyone stands in AWE at this AWESOMENESS._

**Ferrus:** "Dude ... *******' awesome ..."

**Perturabo:** "Way to spoil the moment Ferrus ... way to spoil the moment ..."


	83. Chapter 83

_**Chapter Eighty-three**_

_The Primarchs stand united in the gardens of Pie May's abode, laughing and joking with each other in a manner not seen since they stood united before the Emperor's Palace at the height of the Great Crusade (before buggering off for pizza and copious amounts of alcohol). _

**Aerith:** "Tea anyone? Nice warm herbal tea!"

**Horus:** _Graciously accepts one from the tray she carries. "_Why thank you my dear, I shall enjoy this immensely"

_Aerith blushes deep red (almost matching her clothes) and hurries away, pausing only to mutter to Lorgar as she passes by him._

**Aerith:** "Good gods, look at me – blushing like a schoolgirl"

_Lorgar chuckles to himself as he watches her resume her tea service to the other Primarchs, before gently walking up beside Horus_

**Lorgar:** "See the old Horus charm is back in force"

**Horus:** "Almost; we're not quite to the level of Ezekyle stumbling upon me with **every** female Remembrancer posted to our fleet"

**Lorgar:** "That I don't believe ... didn't you kill them all anyway?"

**Horus:** "Only the guys. The girls I had shot with tranquillizer bolt rounds"

**Lorgar:** "Now I know you're making this all up – how do you load a bolt round with tranquillizer?"

**Horus:** "Ah, now that would be telling wouldn't it?"

**Lorgar:** "Sometimes I'm not sure when you're acting dumb, or when you want me to **think** you're acting dumb ..."

**Horus:** "Such is the mastery of the Warmaster, even he cannot know for certain!" _Smiles, then approaches Angron, Khan and Russ and wraps them all into a large bear hug. _"C'mere guys!"

**Ferrus:** "So we all had our own dreams? Our own little mind-screws?"

**Lorgar:** "Apparently. Whatever was in that tea Pie May insisted we drink was a potent hallucinogenic, and I might add could very well be Chaos-blessed"

**Ferrus:** "Don't you too start with that 'Chaos did it' crap we always seem to get"

**Lorgar:** "You're right, my apologies. I'll try and think up something more original for an explanation ... maybe-"

**Ferrus: **"No C'tan either"

**Pie May:** "Speaking of which, I believe the time has come for you to face your foes"

**Dorn:** "About ****ing time too! We've been on this crappy summer campaign mega-arc since Chapter 12!"

**Angron:** "I agree with my anally penetrative continuous tree detritus gifted brother here"

**Dorn:** "Yeah – wait ... what?"

**Perturabo:** "Now I'm interested as to what Angron's dream was all about ..."

**Pie May:** "There will be room for that in future Side Stories – for now the final confrontation awaits! Primarchs – close your eyes ... summon the energy ... but picture your foe ... the time of his demise ... let your minds be clear of all else but this!"

_As he speaks, the Primarchs close their eyes and picture with their finely-honed minds the C'tan at the birth of their rise to power as the gods of the Necrontyr. The air becomes still, then there is a rush of energy, a flash of light, and the Primarchs vanish from sight. _

**Aerith:** "Do you think they can do it?"

**Pie May:** "Do so, they must. Only hope, they unfortunately are"

_Several million years earlier ..._

_Necrontyr Scientists work around a slowly collating pillar of energy, being drawn through the open roof from the skies above into a metallic body._

**Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "It's alive! It's alive!! MWAHAHAHA!"

**Another Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "Of course it's alive Rob. Didn't you get the briefing last Thursday? These things are our ticket against those snooty Old Ones. Laugh at our sport why don't they? What's so superior about their 'football' anyway? There's no foot-meeting-ball action! They spend most the game with the damn ball – and it isn't even spherical – tucked under their arms running about in kevlar body armour!"

**Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "I agree Pat. Bloody ridiculous if you ask me. Asking that **we** rename **our** football to 'soccer'? That's taking the bloody biscuit"

**Nightbringer:** "Not wishing to sound ungrateful ... but could you hurry up? We've been packing me into this damn thing for the last week and a half!"

**Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "It speaks!"

**Another Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "Of course it does ... where **were** you last Thursday?"

**Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "None of your business"

**Nightbringer:** "Oh he was around Susan's house making hot sweaty sex with her on the roof"

**Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "What!! Lies!! How do you know anyway?"

**Nightbringer:** "Half of me is still stretching five hundred miles out into space – you'll be amazed what you can see from up there ..."

**Another Doomed Necrontyr Scientist: **"Is this true Rob? I thought you loved **me**? What about that time in the tombs last week?"

**Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "Look Pat, it's nothing personal ... but there's just nothing between us ... I was just in it for the sex"

**Nightbringer:** "Far be it for a timeless energy being such as myself to comment upon the miserable reproductive and social lives of mere mortal corporeal creatures, but I think that was a **bad move** on your part"

_One interesting use of a fork later ..._

**Another Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "Oh damn ... I was going to eat lunch with that ..." _She throws the fork away, with the flesh still attached to the pointy end._

**Doomed Necrontyr Scientist:** "OH MY GODS! MY BALLS!!"

**Nightbringer:** "It's at times like this I appreciate being genderless ... hello ... we've got a visitor"

_A robed figure walks into the laboratory. Easily twice as large as the Necrontyr around him, the figure strides up to where the two scientists are working._

**Another Doomed Necrontyr Scientist: **"Hello sir. How was the game?"

**Overlord R:** "Hey peeps! The game was ... like ... a real show of **style** ... fancy footwork ... some good play by the brothers in the field ... some – why's Little Rob bleeding between his legs?"

**Doomed Necrontyr **_**Scientist:**__ In a large amount of pain. "_No reason ... just fancied it ... that's all"

**Overlord R: **"Chill it Little Rob ... so's ... how's Night-dude?"

**Nightbringer:** "Oh I can tell we're going to get along **so** well ... hey ... who's those guys? They look like you"

_All turn to see twenty individuals burst into the room, all armoured and armed to the teeth with more weapons than at a military fan boy convention. _

**Horus: **"This ends here Nightbringer! Prepare to meet your worst night- ... **ROB?!?!**"

**Roboute Guilliman (Overlord R): **"Yo! Long time no see bros! Glad you made it – the party's just beginning!"

_He throws off his robes to reveal more cybernetic enhancement than in one of Ferrus' wet dreams, all of them both deadly and more garish than a Puff Daddy music video. _

**Roboute:** "The bling's back in town baby!"

**Horus:** "Oh there is no **way **I'm going to let you end this chapter on **that**! ... erm ..."

_I'm waiting ..._

**Horus:** "Er ... eat your greens kids!"

**Lorgar:** _Face palms._


	84. Chapter 84

_**Chapter Eighty-four**_

**Horus:** "Wait one Merrett-damned moment! How the hell – **what** the hell do you think you're doing? You do realise you're on **their**-" _He gestures towards the Necrontyr scientists._ "... hey do you realise that one's bleeding from his balls?" _He shrugs and remembers where he was in the monologue. _"You're fighting for the greatest threat we've ever faced – HASBRO!!"

_General shock greets the naming of the EVIL that is Hasbro (anyone who's seen the previews for D&D 4th Ed can testify for this fact). The Necrontyr scientists scurry away (or, in the case of one, crawl away clutching his crotch), their sense of self-preservation pointing out when they need to run from potential cataclysmic confrontations. _

**Roboute:** "Of course bro! They gave me what you squares never could – RESPECT! Respect for the pimp I am!"

**Vulkan:** "Seriously, stop it – you're only embarrassing yourself"

**Roboute:** "See? No respect! What's a brotha got to do to get some respect around here?"

**Dorn:** "Pick the decent side?"

**Fulgrim:** "Dress decently?"

**Sanguinius:** "Stop butchering the English language?"

**Roboute:** "ENOUGH!" _Various death-things reveal themselves from within, spreading outwards like a bizarre metal mockery of Shiva. _"With this awesome powa I will crush you all under my feet!"

**Perturabo:** "Man, do the maths – there's nineteen of us, and Alpharius gets to be counted twice because he's that hardcore-"

**Alpharius:** "And I have a twin"

**Perturabo:** "-I was trying to be subtle for those who still haven't read _Legion_, but thanks for the spoiler anyway ..."

**Roboute:** "Numbers don't matter – it's what's in your heart that does!"

**Vulkan:** "Again, you fail **bro**"

_Roboute screams, in a way that makes it quite obvious he's clearly passed the thin red line and is now working his way to the infra-red line just beyond. Several gauss-like weapons point towards the Primarchs and fire deadly green energy. _

**Magnus: **_Quickly stepping forward._ "Barrier Shield MkII!!"

_A great wall of shimmering energy forms around the Primarchs, and the green gauss energy disperses against it harmlessly._

**Roboute:** "MEGA-GAUSS HYPER ASSAULT!"

**Perturabo:** "What is this? _Dragonball Z_? Do we need to yell out our attacks all the time?"

_Roboute reveals two immense Gauss cannons that slide out from seemingly nowhere click into place either side of him and open up with an intense barrage that threatens to overwhelm Magnus' psychic shielding._

**Magnus:** "Jesus Christ he got upgrades!!"

**Horus:** "So have we, in case you forgot. Primarchs! Lets re-educate our brother on the meaning of 'pwned'"

**Ferrus:** "Er-"

**Horus:** "No, just no. Whatever it was. No. And before you reply – no"

**Ferrus:** "I was just going to ask if you want me to use this-" _Holds up an exotic weapon that glows with a mystic blue energy._

**Horus:** "Where did you get that? Is that Protoss?"

**Ferrus:** "_Starcraft II _launch party ... I er ... stopped off on the way here. Great thing about time travel ..."

**Horus:** "That's not GW-endorsed weaponry, never mind it coming from a rival franchise. Put it back where you got it from!"

**Ferrus:** "But it **soo** pretty!"

**Horus:** "Don't make me ask again! I don't like wasting precious word space on repetition – you know how draconian BL publishing rules are!"

**Angron:** _Siding over to Ferrus. _"Did you get anything for Sarah?"

**Ferrus:** "Back home waiting for her in the present when we finish in the past ..."

**Angron:** _Mentally tries to work that last sentence out._ "But you got them right?"

**Ferrus:** "I do not disappoint the lady ... especially one capable of ripping me into bite-size chunks in less time than it takes to load up Warseer's main page" _[Author's Note: When it hasn't crashed again ... _ _]_

**Roboute:** "ENOUGH WITH THE TALK!" _Another barrage of gauss fire._

**Magnus:** "She canna take it anymore cap'in!"

**Russ:** "Don't do the accent when you can't handle it Mag!"

**Horus:** "Quiet both of you! Fan out! Attack pattern beta!"

**Perturabo:** "Don't you mean alpha? I thought beta was to deal with rogue tomatoes?"

**Hecate:** "That's gamma dear, beta' definitely the anti-rabid girl scouts defence tactic"

**Horus:** "Didn't we spend the best part of a millennia going over this?"

**Carl:** "Did we? Wow ... time flies when you're stoned ... where are we?"

**Horus:** "Grr ... just hit the big blue bastard!"

**Angron:** "Finally a tactic I can understand!"_ Leaps forwards, axes raised. _"TIME TO DIE ROB! ... or alternatively suffer severe physical damage ..."

_Roboute parries with a huge warscythe-like blade that extends from his arm. The living metal slides through Angron's daemonic axes, but as they pass the flesh of the axes reach out and combine to bring the axe together again. _

**Vulkan:** "Hammer time bitch!" _He too leaps forwards, twin thunder hammers (stolen from a Reaver titan) raised to fall. _

_Roboute brings up a shimmering field, and he partially fades from sight. The hammers fall through him to impact on the floor, sending huge shock waves everywhere. Screaming from outside suggests large scale destruction caused by the seismic impact. _

**Nightbringer:** "Oh damn ... you guys just destroyed the football stadium ..."

**Vulkan:** "Pansy Necrons couldn't play soccer if they got a guidebook to it" _He swings the hammers around as Angron returns with axe blows of his own. All weapons pass through Roboute without harm, impacting on the columns supporting the structure. _

**Horus:** "We're causing more damage to the city than we are Rob!"

**Corax:** "Isn't that our normal tactic anyway? Death by collateral damage?"

**Mortarion:** "Screw this" _Dips his manreaper into the ground, which begins to bubble with foul smelling pustules and blisters. Icky stuff oozes out of the cracks, and gibbering nurglings starts clawing their way up. The entire building begins to crack and crumble as the infection spreads._

**Hecate:** "Eeww ... I just had a manicure this morning!"

**Sanguinius:** "Me too! Watch where you infect that stuff!"

**Mortarion:** _Eyes glow with dark power._ "Summoning Arts 12 – Kiss of Nurgle"

_The area around Roboute begins to erupt in great masses of decaying flesh, like the rotting lips of an undead beauty queen. The flesh rises up and engulfs the traitor Primarch._

**Roboute:** "OH MY GOD! WHAT ... THIS ISN'T A MOUTH!! OH GOD!! THE HORROR!!!"

**Horus:** "Dare I ask?"

**Mortarion:** "Don't"

**Ferrus:** "Fight over?"

**Hecate:** "Guess so ... which just leaves ..."

_The energy stops flowing, as the silver body absorbs the last of the C'tan's essence. The now complete Nightbringer rises up, a huge scythe growing out of his left arm. _

**Nightbringer:** "Time to die, Primarchs"


	85. Chapter 85

_**Chapter Eighty-five**_

Guest Narrator: C S Goto [With Lastie's comments in brackets]

_The awakened C'tan flexes its muscles [What? When did they get muscles?!?] and smiles with an evil malice that strikes fear into the hearts of the Primarchs [Er ... space marines? ATSKNF ring any bells?]._

**Nightbringer: **"Who shall be first to taste the wrath of my blade?"

**Lorgar:** "What does 'wrath' taste like?"

**Dorn:** "More to the point, what's an inanimate metal sculpture doing with it?"

**Ferrus:** "I could Google it if anyone's interested ... I brought my laptop with me!"

**Horus:** "Gods dammit Ferrus! Can't you go more than five minutes without looking at porn?"

**Ferrus:** "Well ... when a guy's got to fap ..."

_The Primarchs stare at Ferrus with looks of such intense horror even the ageless monster behind them seems paltry in comparison. Perhaps the thought of reading through the _Dawn of War_ omnibus sounds particularly tempting now if offered as an alternative to standing in the presence of Ferrus at this moment in time. Good grief ... did I just slag off my own work there? [Fact – the universe hates C S Goto's work]_

**Horus:** "Get ... out ... of ... my ... sight ..."

**Hecate:** _MEGA-TON ANIME GIRL PUNCH!!! [The type that sends men flying for a thousand miles at high velocity ... which Ferrus does] _"PERVERT!"

_The Primarchs watch Ferrus disappear from even their super-human sight, like a Dark Reaper flying off into the sunset ... to rape some kids [Dude .. .WTF?]._

**Horus:** "Thank Gods for that ... right ... sorry about that Mr. N Bringer"

**Nightbringer: **_Puts away the book he was currently reading, and the reading glasses he was wearing [Book? Glasses? What the hell are you doing man?!?] _"No problem. Are we ready to resume our fight?" _He brays._

**Horus:** "What's with the donkey impression?"

**Nightbringer: **"All evil creatures bray. Where have you been?"

**Horus:** "Reading fan fiction (much better than this crap)"

**Nightbringer:** _Extends the scythe once again, reality itself is torn asunder by its passage. The Gods themselves flee in terror of this scythe. This scythe could bray if it could. [Er ....] _"PREPARE FOR YOUR DEMISE FOOLISH PRIMARCHS!!"

**Fulgrim:** _Stepping forward. _"Relax guys. Me and PD will take care of this round ..."

**Sanguinius:** "PD?"

**Fulgrim: **"Plot Device" _Holds up one sword in particular and wiggles it about a bit. The sword glows with dark and evil energy [And brays?]. _"Apparently I owe my present personality to it. So sword ... how should I solve this problem?"

**PD:** "Dude ... ten thousand years and you're still bitter about that Ferrus moment? Are we talking about the same guy Hecate just mega-punched to the next continent?"

**Fulgrim:** "In ages past he **was** my best friend ... we still are ... he lets me use his laptop occasionally to look up scaly porn"

**PD:** "Er ..."

**Fulgrim:** "It's like furries but with scales-"

**PD:** "Yeah I got that. Stop talking right there. Let me solve your issues with some surprisingly convenient plot developments and a healthy dose of deus ex machina"

**Fulgrim:** _Holds out the sword towards the suspicious Nightbringer ... who isn't braying. _"Do your thing oh Convenient Possessed Sword of Plot Device-Assisted Character Development"

**PD:** "Oh right! Time to shine! OI! NIGHTY! LETS GET IT ON BABY!"

_The sword flies from Fulgrims hand and dances around the Nightbringer. For a brief moment the sword clashes with the scythe, before the ethereal energies of the C'tan slice the sword in two. As it dies it [brays?] ... er ... yeah ..._

**PD:** "Oh bugger ..." _Dies._

**Fulgrim:** "Thank the Gods for that. Now I'm free! Free to be my own three-dimensional character!"

_He is pushed out of the way by Corax, wielding vicious lightning claws._

**Corax:** "Good for you. Now leave this to the professionals" _He aims the claws, and lightning shoots from their tips to strike the Nightbringer [er ... I think you've misunderstood 'Lightning claws' ...]._

**Nightbringer:** "ARGH! Lightning! My only weakness!!" _[Is he writing this dialogue as well?]_

**Corax:** "Face it Nighty – alone you could beat us, but united we Primarchs are invincible!!"

**Lorgar:** "We're not **quite** united – Ferrus got bitch-slapped and Rob's in ... whatever the hell Mort summoned last chapter"

**Roboute:** _Inside Nurgle's ... unpleasant whatever. _"It's not very comfortable in here ... can I come out now for the ass-kicking? I promise to pick the right side this time!"

**Horus:** "No Rob, you're staying in there until you've learned your lesson – stop laughing Alpharius!"

**Omegon:** "Er ... I'm Omegon ... **he's** Alpharius" _Points towards his twin standing next to him._

**Horus: **"Whatever! Hey should we put spoiler tags on that last exchange?"

**Alpharius:** "No point – I brought snacks!" _Clicks his fingers and loyal Tau servants bring in plates of pizza and crates of beer ... wait a moment what the hell? And they say what __**I**__ write is ridiculous! [This is a parody though ...]_

**Russ:** "BEER! ALPHARIUS, YOU DOG! COME 'ERE!!" _Wraps Alpharius in a huge bear-hug._

**Horus:** "We have the food, we have the drink, let the entertainment begin!!"

_The Primarchs launch themselves forward en-mass in a glorious charge and AWESOME that deifies description. Imagine all the art work for the Horus Heresy done so far – they all pale in comparison. Thought the new Chaos plastics were sweet? They're pitiful when you see this. Even Chuck Norris stands with his mouth wide open. In fact, the following battle is such a display of concentrated AWESOMENESS, that even this paragraph merely talking about it could threaten to explode your head. Apologies if this has already happened. _

_Suffice to say, they kick ass._

_When the display of AWESOME has finished, the Nightbringer stands [he's got legs?!?] broken and defeated._

**Nightbringer:** "Curse you Primarchs! Curse yo- ... are you having pizza during my defeat monologue?"

**Lorgar:** "It's probably nothing we haven't already heard before, so you can't blame us for getting something to eat while we wait for you to finish"

**Vulkan:** "The defeat of our enemies come naturally to us"

**Nightbringer: **_An evil grin spreads across his face. _"Oh really?" _His fingers points to the heavens. _"We're not defeated yet Primarchs! BROTHERS!"

_There is a great rumble, and hundreds of ethereal creatures spring from the ground. Many Nightbringers, Deceivers, Dragons, and Outsiders [what does he look like anyway?] stare at our heroes._

**Deceiver (Well ... one of them anyway): **"Did you think you guys were the only masters of time? I took the opportunity to gather some temporal buddies from various points in time to help our past selves here" _Pulls out a laptop from within him._ "It took a while, but finally I cracked Alan Merret's password! (It was 'MONEY!!' by the way). The power of his laptop is mine, and soon the entire universe will be re-written in accordance to Hasbro's grand scheme!! Starting ... with ... YOU!!" _Fingers move to the keyboard._

**Horus:** "CRAP! WE'RE ABOUT TO BE RETCONED!"

_The C'tan bray in triumph!! [You're fired!]_


	86. Chapter 86

_**Chapter Eighty-six**_

"_There comes a moment in every man's life when he knows the next choice he makes will decide whether he lives for eternity as an Internet legend and immortalised in meme, or fade into obscurity not fitting for a MySpace page. I knew my moment had come ..." - Ferrus Manus, Primarch of the Iron Hands Space Marine Legion_

**Deceiver:** "So what will it be? Reduce Horus back to a mere Imperial Army commander who had delusions of grandeur? Leman Russ to a plain tank commander? The possibilities are endless!" _He begins to cackle in a over-the-top villain style._

**Void Dragon:** "So why not just write them out of existence?"

**Deceiver: **_Stops cackling._ "You just don't get do you?"

**Void Dragon:** "What? Just erase them from existence! BAM! Problem solved – we get the universe as our plaything? Why keep them alive?"

**Deceiver:** _He sighs._ "Why am I surrounded by fools? You don't understand – it works better if we keep them alive!"

**Void Dragon:** "How the hell can that be **better**? If anything it's worse!"

**Magnus:** "I agree with the Deceiver- you just don't get it ..."

**Dorn:** _Whispering._ "What the hell are you doing?"

**Magnus:** _Whispering back._ "Hey – if we're still alive thanks to the Deceiver's complete Villain-Induced Stupidity then we can fight back!"

**Deceiver:** "I heard that you know"

**Magnus:** _Whispering._ "No you didn't"

**Deceiver:** "Oh I did"

**Magnus: **_Still whispering._ "Nope"

**Deceiver:** "Look, you're not the only ones with super-enhanced hearing you know. You're right VD – time to erase these suckers from existence"

_He opens the laptop and begins typing._

**Hecate:** "Stop him!"

**Horus:** "HOW?!?"

**Deceiver: **"Too late! I need only press the enter key in a very slow and very dramatic fashion and your pitiful fictional lives will end – and the universe shall be retconned to our advantage!"

_His finger very slowly moves towards the button ... and presses it!!!_

**Deceiver: **"What? You're still here ... but how ... wait ... **ILLEGAL OPERATION?!? WTF?!?!**"

**Ferrus:** "Having software problems? Damn that Microsoft"

_All eyes turns towards Ferrus, who stands at the rim of the open roof with laptop in hand._

**Ferrus: **"A CHALLENGER APPEARS!!"

**Deceiver:** "YOU!!"

**Ferrus:** "What? Did you think you actually had a chance to erase us from existence with some guy's **laptop**? Please ... you're using Vista – do you realise how much Fail you've just earned yourself there?"

**Deceiver:** "Have some respect for your betters!!"

**Ferrus:** "O RLY?"

**Deceiver:** "ARGH! I SUMMON 4CHAN PARTY VAN!!" _A massive Monolith crashes into the building, disgorging immense power through whip-like lightning strikes from the crystal atop._

**Ferrus: **_Easily avoiding the strikes. _"WTF? That ain't the van – LURK MOAR!!"

**Deceiver: **"Your power's are limited! Mine is infinite! The universe will bow before me!"

**Ferrus:** "That may be ... but you haven't considered one thing ..."

**Deceiver:** "Oh?"

**Ferrus:** _Swings his laptop around from where it balances upon the edge of the open skylight, the image of a female face surrounded by masses of wires can be seen. _"MY WAIFU!"

**SHODAN:** "Pathetic creatures of mundane energy wrapped in insignificant metal – your so-called 'glory' pails before my own. Observe first-hand how your archaic programs fail before my magnificence!"

**Ferrus:** "In other words: l77t h4ck3r"

**Deceiver:** "Why you ... little ... I RAGE!!!" _He begins to scream, and energy is pulled in around him as his body enlarges, growing through the skylight to tower over the building. His skin turns pale white, while a neck-long cup of blue hair forms around his head and his eyes glow bright crimson. _

**Ferrus: **"ZOMG TEH REI!"

**Deceiver: **"THIRD IMPACT TIME MOTHER****ERS!!"

**Horus: **"I have no interest in becoming a Tango product placement – PRIMARCHS ASSAULT!"

_The Primarchs leap forward, eager to kick more ass than is legally accepted due to the GAR Limit Law enforced by all makers of AWESOME and WIN to ensure that their customers don't suffer massive cranial haemorrhaging as a feedback to the sheer ungodly amount of GAR thrown at them. Having your reader base suffer HEAD ASPLODE isn't good for business._

**Dorn:** "FOR THE EMPEROR!!"

**Horus:** "FOR CHAOS!!"

**Fulgrim:** "FOR TRINNY AND SUSANNAH!!"

_Pause._

**Fulgrim:** "What?"

**Dorn & Horus:** "Traitor!"

_Charge recommences, the rousing music begins again, and the camera works in slow motion as the Primarchs meet the C'tan in combat. Such a battle will not likely be seen again (until next arc, when I'll have to think up something more cooler than Primarchs versus C'tan), and the amount of devastation caused destroys much of the city. Many Necrontyr lament the loss of their families and loved ones ... but they're all nameless background characters who no one gives a damn about anyway ..._

_High above the battle, Ferrus evades the giant REI DECEIVER as she/he/it/whatever swings a skyscraper at the Primarch like a baseball bat._

**Ferrus:** "Shit that was close! I need some room ... SHODAN babe, have you finished?"

**SHODAN:** "Format at 81% complete. Require fifteen more minutes to erase all content on Merrett's laptop ..."

**Ferrus:** "You need me to buy some time babe? Sure ... hey you otaku-bait bitch!"

**Deceiver: **"Your resistance only makes my warscythe harder!"

**Ferrus: **"Er ... yeah ... whatever. Sorry but I'm going to have to end this now – 'cause frankly you're embarrassing me and every other anonymous out there so ..." _Adopts a stance and begins chanting._  
"_I am the seed of all fail,_  
_Lame is my blood, and troll is my name,_  
_I have spammed all forums known to man,_  
_Trolled all there is to be trolled._  
_Have destroyed many lives,_  
_with replies devoid of logic and sense._  
_So as I pray ..._  
_UNLIMITED DESU WORKS!!!"_

_The Deceiver is impacted by the full force of an entire Internet's worth of FAIL._

**Deceiver: **"ARGH! MY MIND! THE HORROR!! THE **FAIL!!**" _His head expands and explodes, showering the city with still-worm chunks of pure, concentrated FAIL._

**Ferrus:** "Well that worked out better than I anticipated"

**SHODAN:** "Format at 89% complete"

**Ferrus:** "Just a little longer, then we can wrap these suckers up once and for all!"


	87. Chapter 87

_**Chapter Eighty-seven**_

_As the still-warm (spelled it right this time!) chunks of the giant Deceiver fall to the city below, the Primarchs continue their epic combat against the many temporal versions of the four C'tan._

**Magnus:** _Screaming as he slices through a Nightbringer and disintegrates an Outsider with his mighty warp-powered gaze. _"We have to kill the originals! If we kill them they can't survive to then travel back in time and bring themselves from other points in time back with them!"

**Dorn:** _Sends a Void Dragon flying with a swing of his thunder hammer. _"Ignoring how that makes no sense whatsoever, which ones are the originals?"

**Russ:** _Swigging on a keg of ale as he mercilessly beats a Nightbringer up with its own scythe. _"So lets just kill them until they all disappear – then we know we've got the originals!"

**Corax:** _Having learned how to use lightning claws properly, he now slices C'tan up with a single swing of his mighty artefacts. _"So basically we keep on doing what we're doing now?"

**Magnus:** _Stands for a moment in exasperation._ "Well I **tried** to insert some intelligent tactics into this whole battle royale ... so you know ..." _Picks up the broken necrodermis of one of his recent kills and beats another C'tan to death with it._

**Mortarion:** _Unleashing all manner of deadly contagions that eat through living metal as easily as acid eats through digestive biscuits. _"I swear if we survive this I'm going to make love to Ev'rii for a whole week"

**Sanguinius:** _Flying high above the combat and unleashing FABULOUS rays of searing light at the C'tan below. _"That would be ... **impressive** to say the least ... I thoroughly support this reason for triumph!"

**Horus:** _Having found himself two (yes __**two**__, current popular HH artwork be damned) lightning claws with in-built combi-bolters to replace his lost ones, he thoroughly pwns C'tan in true 'Lord of Chaos' style. _"Speaking of which, **when** we finish this you and I have a rematch to face feather boy!"

**Sanguinius:** _Grins._ "Oh yes ... we do indeed"

**SHODAN:** "Format at 98% complete – please find a suitable area to hold onto ... pathetic sacks of flesh and bone ..."

**Fulgrim:** _Having reached a mutual agreement between all the PLOT DEVICES he wields as to the right approach to combat, is now dishing out the pwnage. _"I **really** do not like Ferrus' girlfriend ..."

**Roboute:** _Still inside Mortarion's trap. _"I **really** don't like this place guys ..."

**Ferrus:** "Hold on guys – this battle is **over!**"

**Deceiver (the original, it should be mentioned):** "NOOOOOO!!!" _Reaches down to pick up Alan Merrett's laptop. _"If I can't have this franchise – no one will!!"

**Horus:** "Too late, you've just been Primarched"

**SHODAN: **"Format at 100% complete-"

_The universe vanishes. The Primarchs find themselves floating in a sea of nothing. No light, no ground, no wind, no McDonald's, no sports channel on TV – nothing._

**Horus:** "So ... what the **hell** just happened?"

**Magnus:** "Ferrus wiped Merrett's hard drive, but we're still here, so I assume?"

**Ferrus:** _Grins as he pulls out a small USB drive from a handy pouch hanging at his waist. _"I saved ourselves to this drive before starting the format"

**Vulkan:** "So we're all that's left of 40K?"

**Ferrus:** "At the moment, yes. But we do have this" _He holds up Merrett's laptop._ "SHODAN babe is installing Windows as we speak, and when she's finished we have a special task ahead of us"

**Corax:** "Re-writing the franchise"

**Angron:** "Awesome! We can do anything we want! We can insert whoever we want! Delete anyone we want! Hey ... here's our chance to retcon the Tau out of the franchise!"

**Alpharius:** "Hey! The Tau are my bitches! You leave them in!"

**Mortarion:** "Do we really want to change anything?"

_The Primarchs are reflective as they ponder the power they now have. Eventually Roboute says what all (except Carl, who's too stoned to think) are thinking:_

**Roboute:** "Guys ... I kinda liked it the way things used to be ..."

**Lorgar:** "Agreed ... except the recent stuff"

**Alpharius:** "I like my twin brother" _He points at Omegon, who looks quite insistent to still exist._

**Magnus:** "Well ... we can write some of it back in I suppose ..."

**Angron:** "And Zoats ... Sarah would love some Zoats in her gribbly army of evil"

**Dorn:** "Well if we're going to have Zoats, we might as well put Squats back in. I kinda like the little fellas"

**Perturabo**:"Hell, they've got some awesome siege weaponry. Could do with some of that in my Legion"

**Lorgar:** "Speaking of which, lets have our Legions back"

**Horus: **_Sits down at the laptop and flexes his fingers. _"All right guys – shoot. Lets get this baby written back into existence. I want a drink"

**Russ:** "Aye, I believe we all do"

**Sanguinius:** "Well ... we **have** earned it ... so ... where to start?"

**Horus:** "How about ...

_It is the forty-first millennium._  
_For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth ..._

_... but the universe is a big place and ... whatever happens ... you will not be missed ..._

there ... done it" _Horus sits back after several concentrated days worth of dictating by his brothers and taking turns to type. _

**Magnus:** "Bloody awesome ... if I do say so myself"

**Alpharius:** "Nice work guys ... so where do we place ourself?"

**Horus:** _Grinning._ "Where else?"

_They find themselves in the Eye of Beer tavern, where we first met them so many chapters (86 actually) ago ... _

**Russ:** "BEER! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY AND AWESOME – **BEER**!!"

_The doors burst open, and all the supporting cast flood into the bar (the owner's of which gaze in shock, having never seen so many people inside before. When your regular customers are the Daemon Primarchs, you don't tend to attract many people). _

**Ev'rii:** "Mort! I love you!"

**Mortarion:** _Scoops Ev'rii into his arms and begins walking off. _"Catch you guys later! Ev'rii and I have some private celebration time to enjoy!" _Ev'rii puts on the dirtiest grin ever, that only a Daemonette could manage._

**Russ:** "I'll give them five minutes"

**Horus:** "Enough! I declare a toast! To us! And how generally awesome we all our ... and our friends ... without which none of this could be possible ... Warmaster Horus salutes you all!"

**Russ:** "Then Warmaster Horus can buy the drinks tonight!"

_Everyone laughs, except Horus who is not amused. As the day progresses the tale is told in full to all present, and there is much fun and alcoholic consumption._

**Falal:** "So what of the C'tan?"

**Magnus:** "Oh we put them back in their place – they now work for McDonald's on Terra"

**Horus:** "Busiest fast food store in existence, I might add. They should be having fun ..."

_Indeed they are, servicing the __**MILLIONS**__ of people who flood through the Imperial Palace every day is no easy task ... but it's one that four gods __**almost**__ cope with ..._

_**Deceiver:**__ "ARGH! NO YOU CANNOT HAVE THE FREE BIG MAC WITH THAT MEAL!"_

_Well ... almost._

_Alls well that ends well I suppose, and the summer campaign comes to an end, with GW having earned enough to give them a firm standing to refuse Hasbro's offer of becoming part of their evil empire. Alan Merrett wonders how he could have written such AWESOME material for the 40K universe without realising it, and passes it onto all the BL writers who then proceed to write award-winning novels that hit the New York Time's best seller lists multiple times. Hobby enthusiasts everywhere agree they've never had it better ..._

_Meanwhile the Primarchs get themselves plastered. All is good._


	88. Chapter 88

_**Chapter Eighty-eight**_

_The lone figure scurries down the dark corridor, clutching the robe it wears tightly to itself. Approaching a heavy steel door, the mysterious robed stranger comes to a halt before another dressed in similar attire. This second robed figure raises a hand._

**Second Robed Figure:** "Halt! Declare the words of secrecy!"

**First Robed Figure:** "Turnip sauce"

**SRF:** "Ah ... no ... I think you find that was yesterday's password Eldrad"

**FRF: **"Really? But the guy at the door let me through with that"

**SRF:** "Did he now? He really shouldn't have ... who is at the door Vect?" _He turns to his left and talks at the darkness. _

_A third robed figure detaches itself from the shadows and comes to stand beside the two._

**Third Robed Figure:** _Consulting a list he retrieves from inside his robes. _"Er ... today would be ... Tarik Torgaddon ..."

**SRF:** "Oh for the love of the gods ... TARIK?"

_A small voice answers from further down the corridor, from where the first robed figure appeared._

**Tarik:** "YEAH?"

**SRF: **"YOU ****ED UP AGAIN!"

**Tarik:** "SHIT ... SORRY!"

**SRF: **"NO CHEESY TACOS FOR YOU WHEN THE MEETING'S FINISHED!" _The figure growls and pulls back his hood, revealing the familiar pony-tailed head of Abaddon the Despoiler._ "Gods-damn pony tail was chaffing my skin under all that"

**TRF:** "Ez – put your hood back up! We're supposed to be a secret evil cabal; even from each other! That's not going to work if you walk around the place showing your ugly mug off to everyone now is it?"

**Abaddon:** "But we know who the members are anyway! We shared emails when joining up for the newsletter for crying out loud! We advertise for membership on **prime time TV**! You couldn't get more **not** secret if you tried!"

**TRF:** "I guess ... but we're still pretty damn evil"

**FRF:** "Oh yes, sponsoring _Grox Rescue Centre _was a thoroughly despicable act"

**TRF:** "Hey, we did it for the PR; nothing else. We don't give a damn about homeless and mistreated grox ... even that cute one last episode ... with the big round eyes ... she was so **adorable** ... I'd hit it ..."

_There is silence as the other two figures contemplate whether it would be worth their hassle to back away slowly. They both silently agree that as far as 'Vectisms' go this was a mild one._

_The large doors open, and a lone head pokes out._

**Arhra:** "If you guys are quite finished talking; the meeting's about to start"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_The meeting chamber is no larger than your average Games Workshop store, without the tables. Many robed figures have squeezed themselves into the space and there are many under-the-breath grumbles about someone else's elbow poking into ribs and such. _

_Arhra stands before a large hololithic display along one wall and motions for everyone to shut up within the immediate time frame so he could speak and be heard. When this fails, he threatens to show Vect's home-made porn flicks if there isn't silence within the next five seconds. This, surprisingly, works._

**Arhra:**_ Somewhat exasperated. "_Thank you ... right, thank you everyone for coming to the eight thousandth and twenty second annual meeting of the Society of Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow, commonly referred to as the Illuminati by members and outsiders. Before I begin the meeting proper, a quick word of thanks to Taldeer over there, who, with Macha, kindly baked the delicious cookies we're all sampling ... or in the case of Creed **already sampled**"

**Creed:** _Sits back and smacks his lips. _"Very nice ... my compliments to the xenos scum who baked them"

**Taldeer:** "You're welcome ... you fat **** ..."

**Creed:** "What was that? Oh ... do my ears deceive me or is that the sound of Blood Ravens and their xenos-hating leader, Chapter Master Goto, approaching?"

_Taldeer gives Creed the finger, to the general sniggering of all present._

**Arhra:** "Enough! Khaine almighty you guys are worse than kids ... all right; item of agenda no. one is the recent defeat of the C'tan by those gay Primarchs"

_The assembled boo and hiss._

**Arhra:** "Yes well ... they've yet to get back to me on my offer of joining us, so either they're still drunk or they obviously consider themselves better than we. In which case we need to teach them to respect us and our cause!" _He notices a solitary hand rise above the assembled. _"Yes Doomrider?"

**Doomrider:** "Er ... what **is **our cause?"

**Arhra:** "What is our cause? **JUSTICE!** That is our cause! Justice for the little guys! Justice for those of us forgotten, relegated to mere fluff mentions, removed from the latest Codices (in your case DR), or suffer the neglect that comes from being xenos races!"

**Creed:** "So what's Ezekyle doing here? He's not exactly hard-done-by"

**Abaddon:** "I'm here to lend support to this cause, for my own personal reasons ..."

**Doomrider:** "You want the road trip eh?"

**Abaddon:** _His face lights up._ "Hell yeah! The open warp, our motorcycles blasting at full throttle! You, me, and the guys with nothing to get in our way for five dimensions ..." _He nods to himself, lost in the memories._ "Good times ..."

**Doomrider:** "Oh yeah ... damn that black-border Codex ..."

**Abaddon:** "Hey, watch it DR – that Codex was the second best we've ever had ... perhaps it didn't have you in it, but it's an Eye of Terror away from the one we're currently suffering"

**Doomrider:** "Fair plays man"

**Arhra:** "Have you guys finished? What are we doing about these Primarchs? Shall we continue to pursue their indoctrination into the cult? They aren't featured in the rules after all, so they do qualify ... strangely"

**Eldrad:** "They are, however, prominent characters in the latest series from the Black-Library-In-Name-Only. They are getting far more love than all of us here combined, and it's only a matter of time before they get rules, and possibly a damned Apocalypse datasheet to themselves"

**Creed:** _Points at Eldrad._ "Why is he here?"

**Eldrad:** "Because some bright spark in GW decided they needed a shock death to mark the end of the Eye of Terror campaign – and I got the honour! Do you have any idea how **boring** the soul of a corrupted Talisman of Vaul is? All it talks about is how pretty the stars are ..." _He shudders at the memories._

**Arhra:** "We all have our reasons to be here Creed, stop trying to make us justify the narrator choices for who's in this club ... **anyway** – the Primarchs!"

**Abaddon:** "I say we give them **one more chance** ... but this time lets try something different"

**Arhra:** "We're all ears ..."

_Abaddon explains his plan to all assembled, and there is general agreement of its awesomeness. _

**Arhra:** "It's settled then – we'll do that ... now ... to the second item of agenda: our tea and biscuit fund. Someone, no pointing fingers here-" _All fingers point to Creed._ "-has been eating more than his share of biscuits, and the fund can't keep up. Creed; if you could respect that everyone has the right to at least one biscuit?"

**Creed:** "But-"

**Arhra:** "Don't make me bring out the wafer thin mint! You won't like that!"

**Creed: **_Bows his head in shame._ "OK ..."

**Arhra:** "Right ... third item of agenda – the décor ... any chance of something that's not so dark and depressing? We're trying to avoid the clichés here folks ..."


	89. Chapter 89

_**Chapter Eighty-nine**_

_The Thunderhawk approaches the Ravenspire and gently settles within the cavernous hanger bay below to the thunderous applause of perhaps the entire Raven Guard Chapter. As the Thunderhawk's main ramp comes down, several figures approach its base and welcome the return of their Primarch._

**Corax:** "Hey guys, was' up? Like what you've done to the place while I've been gone (sorry about being late; traffic out of the Eye is abysmal during post-Black Crusade crawl)"

_The Chapter Master of the Raven Guard bows, the many dreadlocks around his head and beard following gravity's insistence of pointing towards the deck. _

**Chapter Master Sparrow: **"An extended and heartfelt welcome to you, my lord, with all the appropriate trimmings and celebrations, which leads me conveniently to the topic of utmost importance which would be the fast approaching arrival of glorious and satisfying rum with which to toast your lordship's long-delayed arrival"

_Captain Aajz Solari standing next to him politely whispers something in Sparrow's ear._

**Sparrow:** "No rum? What do you mean no rum?"

_Solari again whispers something in Sparrow's ear. Corax raises an eyebrow as he patiently awaits the outcome of this (and wonders what's happened to his Chapter). _

**Sparrow:** "Are you, by unfortunate chance, attempting to convey across the incomprehensible suggestion that the rum, might not in fact, exist?"

**Solari:** _Sighing._ "CM, we're **Space Marines**. We don't drink rum; we indulge in wine during celebration feasts, but we don't drink rum"

**Sparrow:** "Really?" _Looks around quizzically._ "Perhaps-"

**Solari:** "No my lord"

**Sparrow:** "Then-"

**Solari:** "That's not possibly either, my lord"

**Sparrow:** "Ah ... I see ..." _Turns his attention back to Corax._ "My esteemed and heartfelt but not necessarily sincere apologies to you, but it seems, with great regret, that alcoholic solace otherwise known as rum ... is gone ..."

_A great lament is heard throughout the hanger bay, as the Raven Guard collectively morn the loss of the rum._

**Corax:** "Is this a bad thing?"

**Sparrow:** "Indeed, for I must forthwith and hereby, with great lament, declare this world a rum-free zone" _He turns around. _"TO THE BARGES MEN!" _He turns back._ "That's providing, of course and with no disrespect intended, or otherwise encouraged, that your Lordship does not mind this course of action?"

**Corax:** _Shrugs._ "Why the hell not? It'll give me time to get to know my Leg- I mean **Chapter** again ... bloody Rob"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Elsewhere, a fierce battle rages between the mighty forces of the Salamanders Space Marine Chapter, and the fearless followers of the Ork Warlord Garlock (remember him?)! Two Space Marines hunker down behind a barricade as a whole host of Orks unload more lead than in the average Michael Bay action flick. _

**First Salamander:** "Brother Rorth! Hand me my Meltagun!"

**Second Salamander:** _Looking through the many Meltaguns he's been carrying for his battle-brothers. _"But Brother Kul, which one is yours?"

**First Salamander:** "The one with 'Bad Mother****er' written on it"

**Second Salamander:** "But they **all** have 'Bad Mother****er' written on their sides"

**First Salamander:** "Then any will do ... ah! Brother Primarch!"

_Both look up as Vulcan slides down into the trenches beside them. _

**Vulcan:** "Brother Kul – I heard about your injury! Has it healed?"

**First Salamander:** _Holds up a pair of dark sunglasses; the bridge held together by sticky tape._ "Looking good Brother Primarch, I managed to find some black tape to repair the damage" _He puts the shades on_."Ready"

_Vulcan stands up, twin meltaguns under each arm._

**Vulcan: **"Heaven or hell – lets rock"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Elsewhere in the universe, on the world of Macragge, a single figure strides up the stairs of the great palace to where (most of) his Chapter have assembled. Hard core rap plays across the city, and the citizens dance to celebrate the return of their Primarch._

**Roboute:** "Hey! Rob's in da house! What say you all?"

**All:** "BLUE-DA-BEST!"

**Roboute:** "Damn straight peeps ... so's you is da Chapter Master yo?"

**Marneus Calgar:** "Yeah, I be that. Respect yo!"

**Roboute:** "Respect!"

_They meet fists, size each other up, then nod in respect to each other. It's probably not homoerotic or anything ... I swear._

**Roboute:** "So's, tell me what's been going down since I woz last 'ere?"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Somewhere else, on the other side of the known galaxy, a dice is rolled ... _

**Falal:** "Oh yeah! Natural 20! Eat that Ahri!"

_Ahriman sighs as his orc barbarian character gets upstaged by a rogue with a crossbow and uncanny luck (but then, it is a __**god**__ doing the rolling here ...). _

**Ahriman:** "Well I handled the last Balor, so this one's all yours"

**Magnus:** "Do you get the feeling our characters might be a **little** broken if T is throwing Balor's at us when we're only level 14?"

**Ahriman:** "Don't be silly, just because your cleric hasn't cast a _Cure_ spell in over fourteen sessions doesn't mean we've munchkined our characters ... just means we're **good**"

**Tzeentch:** _Scratching her head behind the DM's screen._ "Hmm ... why the hell do they have to make all this so complicated ... so what abilities are you sacrificing your sneak attack to activate? Ah ... who cares. You all take 100 damage as the Balor explodes in your faces" _[Author's Confession: Almost wiped out the party with Balor death throes. Did more damage to them than the Balors themselves did ...]_

**Ahriman:** "Do you get the feeling we should be doing something more ... befitting our nature as ultimate badasses?"

**Magnus:** "We're playing hard-core D what could be more badass than that?"

**Falal:** "You guys are **such** nerds"

**Ahriman:** "Says the girl who almost burst into tears when her character was at -6 hit points and still bleeding"

**Falal:** "Yeah but that was **ages** ago. I've matured as a roleplayer since then"

**Ahriman:** "By power-gaming your character to the point where death is a remote dream for T"

**Tzeentch:** "Meh. You guys are falling quite nicely into my grand master plan for ultimate TPK"

**Ahriman:** "I'm calling ******** on that"

**Tzeentch:** "Call it what you want, it'll still happen"

**Magnus:** "Any chance I can play the 'DM's Boyfriend' card for reduced damage?"

**Ahriman:** "Hey that's not fair! I want a DM's Boyfriend card!"

**Falal:** "Well we can give you one for Saul's game tomorrow. I'm sure he'll love that"

**Ahriman:** "Very funny"


	90. Chapter 90

_**Chapter Ninety**_

_On a distant world, orbiting a distant sun (although from where we're measuring this 'distant' thing I'm not sure ... Zanzibar perhaps?) two god-like figures adorned in glittering armour measure the worth of the other. The time has finally arrived; the epic clash of titans to decide once and for all who should have become Warmaster of the Imperium._

**Horus:** "Are you feeling confident Sanguinius? I will not go easy on you"

**Sanguinius:** "I would expect no less ... brother"

**Horus:** _Stares across the horizon. _"It would be difficult, are you prepared?"

**Sanguinius:** "I am ..."_ Raises his chosen weapon._ "So ... five iron?"

**Horus:** _Judges the distance to the hole once again._ "Hmm ... try a three"

**Sanguinius:** "Nice try, but I'll go with my instincts-"

**Mephiston:** _Holding Sanguinius' bag, clears his throat quite loudly._

**Sanguinius:** "-and Meph's advice, thank you"

**Horus: **_Shrugs._ "Fair enough, just offering some guidance ... being a good brother, and all that"

**Hecate:** "You? A good brother? Don't make me laugh"

_Both Horus and Sanguinius turn to regard their sister as she approaches them. Mephiston, meanwhile, suddenly discovers a matter of great interest in the complete opposite direction to Hecate. Thrall, Horus' caddy, is nonplussed (frankly it's doubtful if he has much emotion left), for not even Hecate's reality-defying Power Armour bikini (and don't ask how this works) seems to attract his attention. _

_Hecate, meanwhile, is accompanied by a small gang of angry-looking female Space Marines (and if we pause for a moment the sound of several thousand fluff fan boys simultaneously dying can be heard ...), one of which is holding a parasol above Hecate's head while another flicks through an ungodly large personal notepad. A third, at the back, chatters incessantly on the vox-unit. _

**Chatting Female Marine: **"No, she would **not** like to attend the Administratum's annual Scrolls and Quills Ball. Mistress Hecate prefers social gatherings devoid of lonely scriveners who haven't seen a woman since their mother stopped breast-feeding them"

**Horus:** "Morning Hec, morning girls"

_The parasol-holding marine blushes a deep red, while the one holding the mammoth notepad grins and bites her lip as some ... 'interesting' memories flash before her mind's eye. This is not lost on Hecate, who raises an eyebrow at the girl before returning her attention to her younger brother. _

**Hecate:** "You may have saved the universe from the perils of the C'tan, but is that any excuse to avoid duty and responsibilities to play **golf**?"

**Sanguinius:** "This is not just a golf game Hec – this is **revenge**"

**Hecate:** "Ah, I see. He-" _She points at Horus._ "-carves you into small bite-size chunks with lightning claws, so to get him back you-" _She points at Sanguinius._ "-decide to get a lower handicap"

**Sanguinius:** "That's the idea, yes. I don't know why you're complaining – you've always told me to seek more non-violent solutions to my problems"

**Hecate:** _Shrugs._ "A good point. So who's winning?"

**Sanguinius:** _His face grows dark._ "Horus – jammy bastard!"

**Horus:** _Smiles, and swings his club around. _"We've still got three holes to play San, whenever you get around to hitting the ball ..."

**Sanguinius:** "Well if people stop interrupting me" _He goes to tee off._

_A lone Black Legion thrall runs towards the group._

**Messenger:** "My lord Horus! Astropathic transmission from Terra!"

**Horus: **"Oh what the hell is it? Bring it here lets see"

**Sanguinius:** _Throwing up his arms in defeat._ "For the love of ...!"

**Horus:** _Reading the astropathic transmission. _"What the ... a celebration ... **in my honour?** These people do remember I tried to conquer the Imperium ten thousand-odd years ago don't they?"

**Hecate:** "I doubt it; history tends to get forgotten and dropped down the side of sofas around here ... when it's not being re-written between each edition"

**Horus:** "Wait ... it's signed by dad ..." _Stares in amazement at the other two._ "Is he trying to forgive me?"

**Sanguinius:** "Unlikely – he's probably remembered you've still got his season box set of _Alias_ and wants it back ... that or he's finally catching up on that loan he gave you for the limited edition signed baseball you simply **had** to buy off wBay"

**Horus:** "This seems suspiciously like a trap ..."

**Hecate:** "Then do what you usually do – walk blindly into it and act surprised when it goes off in your face. It's how you blundered through most of your life, so I don't see why you should act differently now"

**Horus:** "Harsh words sister"

**Sanguinius:** "But true ..."

**Horus:** "I don't need you commenting either feather-boy. Very well-" _Turns to the Thrall messenger._ "Send a reply back to Terra – the Black Legion shall return to Terra under banners of peace and bearing cake (delicious moist cake)"

**Messenger:** "Do we have cake sir?"

**Horus:** "Get Zaraphiston to summon something in the kitchen; guy insists he's the Gordon Ramsey of the 41st millennium so now is the time for him to prove it"

**Messenger:** _Bows._ "As my lord insists" _He turns and leaves._

**Horus:** "Right ... take your shot Sanguinius. No sense leaving until the game's finished"

**Sanguinius:** "I couldn't bloody agree more"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Elsewhere in the universe, on the distant world of Medusa, the Primarch Ferrus Manus stumbles into the cold night air after an intense 200-hour marathon _Counter-Strike_ tournament._ _Iron-Father Prime supports him as they walk to where Ferrus last parked the Imperator Titan _Pure Pwnage_, a present from the Adeptus Mechanicus for his last birthday._

**Ferrus:** "Did you see that! Skills man! BOOM HEADSHOT! Lolz"

**Iron-Father Prime:** "Your skills with a sniper rifle are matched only by your ability to drink more than your natural anti-toxins can handle, my lord"

**Ferrus:** "Damn straight! I **demand** the right to get drunk! Stupid genetic engineering – tell me it's impossible! What do they know?"

**Prime:** "More than us, I believe. It would be wise to respect that. Now, we need to locate our method of transportation from the LAN venue ... oh"

**Ferrus:** "What?"

**Prime:** "It would seem we are lacking in titan transportation"

**Ferrus:** _Looks around, noticing nothing but clear empty fields for miles around the arena._ "Dude ... where's my titan?"

**Prime:** "Was it definitely here?"

**Ferrus:** "I may be drunk, but I can still remember where I parked an Imperator ... it was here"

**Prime:** "Then it seems someone has liberated the vehicle for their own purposes. I shall inform the Chapter"

**Ferrus:** "You do that ... I'm going to collapse here ... and dream of girls with fox tails and ears ..."

**Prime:** "As you wish my lord" _Rolls his eyes as he gently lowers Ferrus to the ground and switches on his vox-communicator._ "This is Iron-Father Optimus Prime to all Iron Hands in the area – we have a rogue Imperator titan on the lose. Neutralize, but be aware Lord Manus will dislike scratching on the paintwork"

**Ferrus:** "Damn straight ... and if anyone damages the neon under lights I **will** hurt them"


	91. Chapter 91

_**Chapter Ninety-one**_

_A single candle provides all the illumination the writer needs as he furiously inscribes his latest creation with blood and papyrus scrolls. Several still-bleeding servo-skulls hover around, mindlessly attending to such mundane tasks as ensuring the clocks move forward to obverse British summer time (although by this time people have long forgotten the little island kingdoms of Great Britain, and can't even remember how to spell 'America' properly either for that matter). Several repeatedly fly into one of the many ornate carpets that hang up by the walls, battering all the dust out of its elegant material. Another tries in vain to clear away last night's takeaway pizza, or the remains of it._

_The purpose of all this unnecessary narrative attention on the mundane aspects of the scene? To highlight that Lorgar is once again enjoying an all-nighter to meet publishing deadlines (the joy of many an author I believe). As his quill furiously traverses the papyrus, his mind wanders the corridors of thought, seeking answers to his questions (like what to have for dinner tonight? Is Lelith still talking to me? What about the kids? My guild's arranging a raid of Karazhan tonight, should I attend with my level 70 mage? What if I meet Magnus there? I'll suffer another raid with that fool repeatedly pointing out what I'm doing wrong). _

_Hang on, what was I talking about?_

_Oh right, Lorgar ... alone ... writing his latest literary masterpiece. No doubt will __**not**__ be published by the Black Library any time soon, owning to the fact that Chaos probably wins, and the Imperium probably loses. Now we can't have that can we?_

**Lorgar:** "Do I sense some bitterness somewhere?"

_Dude, where were you for the last 90 chapters?_

**Lorgar:** "Good point ..."

_The doors to the private library/study burst open, and a heavily armoured Word Bearers Apostle strides in as if he owned the place. Such a huge ego could only belong to one individual: ladies and gentlemen please welcome everyone's favourite two-dimensional caricature of evil – Erebus!_

**Erebus: **"Damn straight. Lorgar my lord of **evil**!"

**Lorgar:** _Sighs as he puts away the quill._ "For the thousandth time this millennium, I'm trying to address certain unfortunate prejudices accumulated by bad publicity about our religion, and I could do without your insistence on treating us as the antagonists"

**Erebus:** "But sir ... we're evil. We have people's heads on spikes fastened to our shoulder pads and cooling-generator backpacks! We sing about slaughtering nations and stealing their porn! We kick orphans on the street and steal their pocket money! We're so totally evil!"

**Lorgar:** "Be that as it may, there's no need to advertise it. That just breeds bad PR"

**Erebus:** "PR?"

**Lorgar:** "Public Relations, Erebus. We're entering the forty-second millennium now, we need to advertise ourselves and secure lucrative contracts with greedy cable channels and fast food corporations. The extra revenue is always welcome, and could go to finance our decrepit machinery and weapons. When was the last time you cleaned your boltgun, for starters?"

**Erebus:** "Clean it? My lord – what use do we have for maintaining our arms and equipment?"

**Lorgar:** _Points at the servo-skull battering the carpet. _"Shoot that down with your side-arm"

**Erebus: **_Not quite understanding, but not going to refuse random violence, pulls out his side-arm and pulls the trigger. There's a squishy click, and lots of gore bursts out the other end, with the bolt round following to fall limply to the floor ... then explode._

**Lorgar:** "When was the last time you cleaned your bolt pistol Erebus?"

**Erebus:** "Er ... the Siege of Terra?"

**Lorgar:** "Then I'm impressed it didn't explode in your hands. We need money to maintain our equipment – we unfortunately killed all our techmarines when they refused to join our cause ... so we have to rely on our fellow chaosites over at the Dark Mechanicus Inc., and they run a profitable organisation that doesn't lend itself out to favours or IOU's"

**Erebus:** "So ... we need cash then?"

**Lorgar:** "And lots of it. Hence me being here writing. If I can get this book published, the Black-Library-In-Name-Only has promised me twenty percent in royalties, something we need if this book will be as big a hit as they claim"

**Erebus:** "And if it isn't?"

**Lorgar:** _He sighs._ "Then I might have to ask the wife if she could lend me some money. You know how rich the Kabalite Eldar are?"

**Erebus:** "I've no idea"

**Lorgar:** "They're responsible for two-thirds of all pornographic material in known existence; they sell countless trillions of magazines, DVDs, and interactive H-games in one minute than I believe my brother Ferrus has seen in his entire life, and that's without exaggeration"

**Erebus:** "Then why don't we enter that industry?"

**Lorgar:** "And compete with the Dirty Duo?"

**Erebus:** "The what?"

**Lorgar:** "The Dirty Duo – the dual mammoth presences of the Kabalite Eldar and the Slaaneshii Confederacy. They're the biggest, and frankly **only**, presences within the porn industry. **No one** can compete against them, and the only thing stopping one from monopolising the industry is that they can't defeat the other. It's like a stalemate, with neither being able to defeat the other"

**Erebus:** "That **is** a stalemate my lord ..."

**Lorgar:** "This is no time to correct me on anything Erebus. Bottom line – we need the cash. I suggest looking out for business opportunities from no on, instead of raping and pillaging Imperial worlds"

**Erebus:** "Any hints on where to start my search, my lord?"

**Lorgar:** _Reaches down beside him where several stacks of paper lie, moves some out the way, and shoves an advertising flyer in Erebus' face._ "Heard of this?"

**Erebus: **_Reads the flyer._ "'Grind Tournament Now Open! Sign Up For FullMetal Action!' Er ... what?"

**Lorgar:** "The annual Privateer Press Grind Tournament is now open, and I'm thinking we could enter. Winner gets a beefy amount of prize money, in the currency of their choice, of course. We could do with that cash, and we're only talking about taking on some badly sculpted steam-powered tin cans"

**Erebus:** "But only warjacks can enter, my lord. We don't have any"

**Lorgar:** "We have Dreadnoughts, do we not?"

**Erebus:** "But they're insane, my lord! We've had them watching repeated episodes of _Everybody Loves Raymond_ for the last few thousand years!"

**Lorgar: **"Well that makes them the perfect players, doesn't it? I task this to you, Erebus. Go and win this tournament for me!"

**Erebus:** "Er ... of course my lord" _Bows, then takes his leave._

_When Erebus is gone ..._

**Lorgar:** "Well that keeps him out of my way for now. What was it I can do for you Arhra?"

**Arhra:** _Stepping from the shadows. _"You knew I was here?"

**Lorgar:** "I've known since you arrived six hours ago. I fancied making you wait as a petty method of showing how ... **evil** I am"

**Arhra:** "Oh very mature ... anyway I think you know why I'm here"

**Lorgar: **_Shrugs. _"No idea. I'm guessing it's not tea and biscuits"

**Arhra:** "No thanks, had some before I left. So ... Mort or Fulgrim haven't said anything? Oh well that steals my thunder. Look ... we know you're Legion's strapped for cash, so I'm here representing a society with vast sums of money that we simply need to spend ... and I think you can help us out in that regard"

**Lorgar:** "What's the price?"

**Arhra:** "I need you to run a little errand for me ... a minor issue that needs addressing"

**Lorgar: **_Raises an eyebrow._

**Arhra:** "Have you head of-" _Dramatic music!_ "-the CABAL?"


	92. Chapter 92

_**Chapter Ninety-two**_

_Several thousand light years from then nearest area of protracted warfare, a small planet orbits a lonely sun. On this planet are many cities, most as large as the ones we're used to. In one city is a busy shopping district, and within this shopping district is a small store with the red and yellow logo of 'Games Workshop' on the front. Inside the store several familiar figures stand round a table, watching Pete Haines getting owned by the greatest Iron Warrior player ever._

**Perturabo:** "End of Turn 1 ... and there doesn't seem to be much left for you Pete ..."

**Pete Haines:** _Breaks down and cries like a baby. Is escorted away from the table by Andy Chambers, who consoles him with encouraging words._

**Kerrigan:** "Hey! Fried steak tonight Andy! Forget to cook it properly and I'll tear you a new one!" _She smiles at Perturabo._ "Nice work there"

**Perturabo:** _Packing away his ungodly number of heavy weapons, Vindicators, and Obliterators. _"I have my moments, and frankly that felt damn good. Where to celebrate?"

**Angron:** "Well there's a nice pub somewhere around here ..."

**Kerrigan:** "I swear you guys seem to spend your entire lives in pubs. Where's your ambition? A drive to accomplish something?"

**Perturabo:** "I just schooled Pete Haines with Iron Warriors – I think that's accomplishment enough for one day. Plus I'm thirsty, and when it takes an ungodly amount of alcohol to make you even the slightest bit tipsy, you might as well take advantage of that"

**Angron:** "The Pert-man speaks the truth! Let us obey his worldly wisdom and seek a suitable refuge within which to down copious amounts of alcoholic beverages"

**Kerrigan:** "You men ..."

**Perturabo:** "So how's dominating the galaxy going then Sarah?"

**Kerrigan:** "Quiet! Or I'll Zergling rush your ass"

**Angron:** "That's **not** something you'd want to make an innuendo over, as a word of caution"

**Perturabo:** "As if I'd-"

_We interrupt Perturabo's comeback with an advancement in the plot, as the doors to the store burst ... OK fine, most stores leave the doors open anyway during open hours so people don't have the hassle of pushing open doors to enter a store (nothing says 'Piss Off!' like closed doors). So they don't burst open, she just walks through casually like she owns the place. What a way to ruin the drama ... who walks through? _

_Oh, Sylvanas Windrunner, the ill-tempered __**Other**__ Bitch Queen of the Blizzard Universe. _

**Kerrigan:** "What the **hell** are **you** doing here!"

**Sylvanas:** _Holds up a large silver case with the '25' logo on the side. _"Vampire Counts"

**Angron:** "You know her, Sarah?"

**Perturabo:** "Dude, are you completely ignorant to other franchises?" _Turns to Sylvanas. _"I'll give you a game if you don't mind fighting Skaven"

**Angron:** "Why am I not surprised you collect Skaven?"

**Perturabo:** "The ungodly number of long range weaponry?"

**Sylvanas:** _Setting up her figures on the board._ "That shall do ... I need to occupy time until the others get here"

**Perturabo:** _Placing on the table enough Ratling Guns to make Alessio Cavatore cry like a little baby. _"Others?"

**Sylvanas:** "It doesn't really concern you, Human"

**Perturabo:** "Doesn't concern me? Look here dear; I'm the ****ing Primarch Perturabo – Lord of Cheese, He With A Big Beard, Iron Master of Turn 1 Mega-Death! One of the twenty ... er ... twenty **one** Primarchs! When in my galaxy **anything **concerns me!"

**Sylvanas:** "What? Prove it!"

**Perturabo:** _Holds out Primarch identity card._ "Proof enough?"

**Sylvanas:** "I guess ... but you're just a normal Human!"

**Perturabo:** "Oh this body? It's so I can play with 28mm scale miniatures and **not** crush them with massive Daemonic stature hands. My true form's currently packed away in a warp-spawned pocket dimension. I'll call it out when we leave the store – they don't design this place for 10' monstrous creatures, you know"

**Sylvanas:** "Oh ... well ... my apologies. I took you for another nacho-obsessed gaming geek who I'd have to endure staring at my breasts for the entire game ..." _She sighs._

**Perturabo:** "Don't flatter yourself dear, I prefer my women with a pulse ... or at least some semblance of body heat ..."

**Sylvanas:** _She glares, then turns to Sarah._ "So who's the boyfriend you're hanging onto?"

**Angron:** _His human form resembles the stereotypical American high-school football jock, who extends a hand over the table._ "Angron of the World Eaters Legion. Pleasure to meet a friend of Sarah's"

**Sylvanas:** "Oh we're not friends – different universes, after all"

**Perturabo:** "It's like you and Konrad hanging out together"

**Angron:** "But we do ... we've got a Genocide Weekend break arranged for next month. Just the two of us ... an entire planet of innocent civilians to butcher ... should be good"

**Kerrigan:** "Wow ... sometimes I wonder what I see in you ... and then you come out with something like that and remind me why I love you"

**Sylvanas:** "Oh ... charming ... can I raise them when you're finished?"

**Perturabo:** "Enough with my brother's preferred method of relaxing – what are you doing here Miss Windrunner? You said you were waiting for someone?"

**Sylvanas:** _She leans over the table._ "Have you heard of the-" _Dramatic music._ "-Draenei?"

**Perturabo:** "For a moment there I thought she was going to say Cabal ..."

**Angron:** "Same here ... funny that"

**Sylvanas:** "Cabal?"

**Perturabo:** "Yeah we've heard of the Draenei – I've got a level 67 Paladin on the go. What about them?"

**Sylvanas:** "You're aware of the **huge** ret-con Blizzard went through to incorporate them into the background?"

**Perturabo:** "Hell yeah. Made us feel better – we're having our own share of massive lore re-writes around here. My brother Alpharius suddenly discovered a twin he had hidden down the back of the sofa the other day ... hilarity ensued, I can tell you"

**Sylvanas:** "Well ... there's **rumours abound** that it's ... **seeking** ... other ret-cons ... places where established canon background is weak and malleable. It's **feeding** ..."

**Angron:** "You make it sound like it's alive"

**Sylvanas:** "We're not sure ourselves ... but strange things have been going on recently ..."

**Perturabo:** "I'm thinking it was a bad idea to give Merrett his laptop back ... speaking of which did we double-check ourselves for inconsistencies?"

**Angron:** "Don't think so"

**Sylvanas:** "Our greatest champions are to meet me here to investigate the strange signs our scriers have detected" _She leans even closer. _"There's strange changes in the wind"

**Perturabo:** "Angron; contact Magnus and ask him what his girlfriend's up to"

**Sylvanas:** "Not her. Something bigger ... something older ... something unbelievably ancient and powerful is moving ..."

**Perturabo:** "Wow ... can you be any more **ambiguous**?"

**Sylvanas:** "Oh come on! I'm trying for the enigmatic here!" _Stands up straight and puts her hands on her hips in annoyance._

**Perturabo:** "You've got skeleton spear men stuck to your breasts"


	93. Chapter 93

_**Chapter Ninety-three**_

_**What is a reflection? If not something that reflects? But what can one see in a reflection ... but a reflection of oneself? If you look at your reflection, then surely your reflection looks back? It is ... after all ... your reflection. Interesting ...**_

**Fulgrim:** "DR ... are you narrating again?"

_**He talks ... the sounds move particles in the air into my ears ... they feel ... soft ... like marsh mellows or a woman's breast ... hmm ... marsh mellows ... I could do with some about now. Soft and tasty ... like a woman's breast ... but they're marsh mellows ... so infinitely more edible.**_

**Fulgrim:** "Stop narrating and get over here ... I think I just snorted some washing up powder by mistake ..."

_**Hmm ... deadly ... but should clean his nose out. A squeaky clean nose smells things better, that's what my mum always said before shoving talcum powder up there ... that hurt ... but my nose was clean and I could smell the daffodils! Daffodils and cow turds! Ah ... good times ...**_

**Fulgrim:** "I think I just injected super glue into myself ... it's clogging up the arteries!!"

**Carl:** "Wow ... major bummer ... like totally ... **dude** ... wow ..."

_**Strange ... what am I doing here with this characters? Why is my dialogue in italics? Where's my name? How is the reader supposed to know it's me talking? Interesting ... I must subscribe to this newsletter and seek additional information ... like kitten-huffing ... that sounds exciting ... where can I find some cats? Slaanesh should have plenty ... she's always snapping their necks ... people talk about fluff too much these days ... stuffed animals ... lots of fluff in stuffed animals. Should get some stuffed animals and huff them. **_

**Carl:** "Dude ... not there!"

**Fulgrim:** "OHMYGODTHEPAIN!!"

_**Nasty ... speaking of which those flying rippers are back ... lots of teeth ... they want to nibble on my candy bar! They won't get it! Never!**_

**Doomrider:** "We can't stop here – this is Ripper country!"

**Carl:** _Revving the throttle on his bike._ "Too true man! I see the Rippers! Lets ride!!"

_He speeds off into a nearby lamp post._

**Fulgrim:** "Dude ... like ... dude ... with ... dude ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Malcador:** "My lord, did you hear about your son Ferrus?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Without looking up from the masses of paperwork that demands his god-like attention (and appropriate god-like highlighter pen). _"What ungodly thing has he posted on the Internet this time?"

**Malcador:** "Thankfully nothing, so far. Instead it seems he's misplaced an Imperator Titan"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_He frowns, then continues to highlight parts of Administratum documents that MAKE NO GODS-DAMN SENSE (like most government paperwork is wont to do)._ "How did he manage that?"

**Malcador:** "It appears that he was showing off his new rig to his Chapter at one of their annual LAN conventions, then after a particularly heavy few weeks of gaming, returned to find the god-machine was not where he remembered parking it"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Inform the Fabricator General of Mars that my son has once again proved his limitless capacity for stupidity, and assure her the Titan **will** be found, or I will personally go to Medusa and beat the seven shades of **** out of him ... then take away his Internet access"

**Malcador:** "A threat most assured to inspire action on Lord Manus' behalf, I'm sure"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** _Sits back, looks at the paperwork he's done, looks at the paperwork still to do, sighs, then obliterates the 'To Do' pile with the righteous fire of a man who can't be bothered, and has the psychic mega-death powers to address this. _"Inform the Administratum that they once again Fail at everything, then have them all crucified for being useless"

**Malcador:** "All of them?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Why not? I could do with the hanging corpses of the useless to add to the Gothic décor around this place ... speaking of which. These Black Ships that keep popping up with psykers for me to apparently eat ... as I'm now quite happy to chew down the local Big Mac (the Deceiver makes a **mean** burger) I think we should put these guys and girls to better use. Make **them** the Administratum staff"

**Malcador:** "Is that wise sir?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Did it come out of my mouth, in my voice, and obviously was said by me?"

**Malcador:** "Touché, my lord"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Damn straight ... what's this?"_ He looks at a scroll handed to him by a lobotomised servitor (who, unlike most Administratum staff, has an __**excuse**__ to be a dull two-dimensional personality). _"What ... the ... ******?**" _Reaches across his desk and picks up the BLUE PHONE off it's hook. _"Hello? Is this the residence of Shattrath? Yeah? A'dal? Hey buddy it's Tracy here ... last Legion of the Awesome Light Convention? Yeah! That's the one! Hey, I've got reports here of some guys from your franchise invading mine ... what's up with that?"

_Malcador raises an eyebrow._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"On a mission of critical importance to the entirety of geekdom? Well ... if you say so ... hey say hi to Anduin for me, that 360 he asked for is in the post in time for his eleventh birthday ... cheers!" _The phone hits the hook._ "What a bunch of tossers, the lot of them ... honestly, **every single one** has that self-righteous arrogance that I swear must ooze out of the soil over there. Joke's on them ... found out how to kite Kazzak to Stormwind the other day"

**Malcador:** "My lord, doesn't Doom Lord Kazzak reside in Outland now?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"And that's going to stop **me** how?"

**Malcador:** "Again, touché my lord. I forget the normal laws of reality do not apply to one such as yourself"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Damn straight. My first character on WoW was a level 90 Mage ... back in the days **before** any of the expansions came out ... heh heh ... good times ... noobs didn't know what hit them"

**Malcador:** "My lord once again demonstrates the proper conduct within an MMORPG ... cheat"

_The EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Raises an eyebrow._

**Malcador:** "Not that I'm condemning it ... of course"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I should hope not. How do you think I won the Unification Wars? Tactical superiority? Meh ... don't make me laugh. Right ... track down these Blizzard-tainted infiltrators and keep an eye on them. I don't want them bringing any of that ridiculous juvenile moral principles they keep harping on about in every game. When you can recognise the bad guys by their theme music you know the universe has just hit rock bottom"

**Malcador:** "This is because they refuse to invite you to their parties, isn't it?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"So they have issues with my ruling methods? Come on! What dictator **doesn't** commit mass genocide every day to keep the red tape down? What do they know? Their human empire is being ruled by a polymorphed black dragon, and backwards old fart, and a ten-year old brat! Don't get me started on the other Alliance races, **especially** those gods-damn Night Elves! Pity the Horde hate our guts"

**Malcador:** "Well Thrall and Gazghkull are age-old drinking buddies, and where Thrall goes the rest of the Horde generally follow ... or shuffle in the case of the Forsaken ... or bitch, whine, then follow for the Blood Elves ... so it doesn't surprise me you lack a red phone on your desk"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Looks at the collection of phones decorating his desk._ "I want a red one ..."

**Malcador:** "We could ask the Brotherhood of Nod?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Hey ... that sounds like a plan ..." _The blue phone begins ringing, and the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! picks it up._ "Hello?"

**Whiny Kid: **"YOU PROMISED ME AN **ELITE** 360! YOU SENT ME THE CRAPPY ARCADE PACKAGE!! I HATE YOU!! I'M GONNA GET MY DADDY TO KICK YOUR ASS ... when we find him ... loud sound of a raspberry being blown down the line" _He hangs up._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Looks at the phone for a moment, then picks up another one. _"Hey ... Sarah, it's me Tracy. How's my favourite daughter-in-law? Listen, could you do me a favour? It involves a zergling rush, Doom Lord Kazzak and Stormwind ... hey hey! I knew you'd be interested ..."

**Malcador:** "You, my lord, are a wonderful **monster**"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I have my moments"


	94. Chapter 94

_**Chapter Ninety-four**_

_From atop the highest battlements of the Imperial Palace, one can observe the countless billions toiling in utter pointlessness below – trying to live their pitiful lives one day at a time. With this wonderfully depressing thought in mind, we pull back the camera to observe the glorious Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists, defender of the weak, protector of the innocent, and all-round awesome dude, approach the cloaked figure that occupies his time by fulfilling the before mentioned observation._

**Dorn:** "Morning Malc"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"It's me you fool"

**Dorn:** "Oh, sorry dad! It's hard to tell you and Malc apart when you're dressed like that ... no offence but you're both old men in hooded cloaks ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"But my cloak's got 'awesome' written all over it"

**Dorn:** "If 'awesome' could be written as plain grey with no distinguishing markings ... then yes I would agree with you there" _He notices three figures walking up the thousand (and one) steps below to the uppermost tier of the whole mile-long stairway/plaza extravaganza that leads to the Imperial Palace's front door (a side exit round the back is used for pizza deliveries). _"Who the hell are they?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"The reason why I'm up here. I **hate** these diplomatic visits, especially from people I can't stand, and those three I can't stand most of all ... except maybe Leto II ... 'Golden Path' my ass ..."

**Dorn:** "So who are they? I think I recognise that guy in the centre"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"You should – he's from out sister franchise _Warhammer Fantasy Battles_ ..."

**Dorn:** _Leans over the balcony, as if the small decrease in distance would make the distant figure any more clearer. _"Nagash?!?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Yup ... and standing beside him is 'I get **two** whole expansions packs' Arthas, otherwise known as the Liche King of Fail, and Alexia Ciannor"

**Dorn:** "Who?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"The Necromancer bitch from the Iron Kingdoms ... you know ... Warmachine-verse?"

**Dorn:** "Oh ... never heard of her. For a minute I thought that was Anita Blake"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I wish ... she'd screw anything that breathes. Can't tell you how long it's been since I last had a decent-"

**Dorn:** "Dad, what did we discuss about subjects no son wants to hear his father talk about?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"My sex life?"

**Dorn:** "In any form ... so why those three? Are we forging some sort of trans-franchise alliance here?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Don't be ridiculous! Two of them are from incredibly annoying **American** franchises, and I can't stand anyone from WFB – they can't spend five minutes without subtly reminding me that they've got the better rule set"

**Dorn:** "You know, sometimes dad you can be the epitome of a grumpy old English bastard"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Damn proud of it too! No, they're not here representing any franchise. They're here because they're the best damn Necromancers I can even remotely suffer in person, and since we're a galaxy of unceasing war we've got a major corpse problem"

**Dorn:** "Corpse problem?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Yes son – it's what appears when a perfectly healthy soldier goes from 'alive' to 'dead'. Annoying, I realise, but unfortunately what happens when you don't have clerics hanging at the back of the battle lines casting _Resurrection_ every second. It's a fact of war, son – people die. Unfortunately, what to do with all those corpses is another problem"

**Dorn:** "Which you're trying to solve with Necromancers?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Hell yeah – I won't take death as an excuse not to die in my name!"

**Dorn:** "That makes so much no sense ... are you leaving it all to Malc?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Yup. I'm don't socialise with anyone who isn't at least a tenth as awesome as I am"

**Dorn:** _He sighs._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Meanwhile, another familiar face is finding the bureaucracy a little irritating .._

**Alpharius:** "Oh good grief what do they want now?"

**O'Soryu:** _Standing in the doorway looking just as annoyed as Alpharius is, although she, at least, is dressed. _"The usual – to discuss the trade agreements further until you bend round their slippery tongues and agree to everything they demand"

**Alpharius:** _Rubbing a towel through his soaking wet hair, the steam from the high-powered (Tau Technology FTW!) shower he has just left filters through his stately room._ "I told them my word was final! FINAL! End – of – frikkin' – discussion! There is no more discourse to be had on it! No further talking! Talking – no further! The speaking ends with this monologue! Is that not hard to understand?"

**O'Soryu:** "Very nice ... now repeat all that to those guys – not me!"

**Alpharius:** _Spots an unopened letter on his bed. _"Maybe later ... what's this?"

**O'Soryu:** "Oh that came earlier this morning, you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you so I left it there for whenever you woke up ..."

**Alpharius:** _Picks up the letter and opens it. _"Hmm ... it's from Omegon ... he wants to meet up about something horribly indescribable that could potentially destroy the universe"

**O'Soryu:** "Really?"

**Alpharius:** "No it's money-off vouchers from HMV"

**O'Soryu:** "Well that's anti-climatic ..."

**Alpharius:** "My apologies" _He moves closer and wraps his arms around her._ "How about I make it up to you?"

**O'Soryu:** "I don't know, I have high expectations"

**Alpharius:** _Lowering his head to hers. _"I think I can rise to the challenge ..."

_There is an uncomfortable pause._

**Alpharius:** "That was **so** bad ..."

**O'Soryu:** _With a flying kick knocks him back onto the bed._ "Oh you are going to **pay** for that!"

**Alpharius:** "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to need to order a new bed again?"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_We pull away from that disturbing scene (no doubt DeviantArt has the graphic portrayal sorted already) to the narrow alleyways of a distant urban world. It's night, and crime is rife in the streets ... but fear not! Innocent unnamed civilians! A new band of superheroes have arrived!_

_THE NIGHT LORDS!_

**Night Lord Marine:** "We're **fighting crime**?"

**Konrad:** "Damn straight! Me, the Assassin Balls, and you guys! A super-powered justice league!"

**Night Lord Marine:** "I think we're going to get sued ..."

**Konrad:** "Nonsese! NIGHT LORDS! WHAT'S OUR MOTTO!"

**Night Lords:** "Never say die?"

**Konrad:** "There's irony at play here, isn't there?"

**Night Lord Marine:** "That can be our new weapon! IRONY! FEAR IT! FEAR IT LIKE US! ... er ... that's only if you're a criminal of course ..."

**Konrad:** "I see we have some way to go ..."


	95. Chapter 95

_**Chapter Ninety-five**_

_Across time and space, across the gulf between world, across that mighty void where no sound can travel, a scream is heard (how's that for typical science-fiction author style of __**completely ignoring the laws of physics**__?). The cry carries the sheer primal anger of the creature, a depth of rage beyond that of mere mortal men such as ourselves, dear reader. This is rage beyond comparison, this is anger of the likes which no mere man has experienced. This is RAGE!_

_Atop the highest peaks of the Fang one can hear the cry coming from below. Let us pan downwards, entering this magnificent structure, wrapped by the eternal blizzards of this part of Fenris. Entering the structure, we move through countless torch-lit corridors and pass dozens of rooms from the smallest bunks of the Chapter serfs to the mighty chapels where the Wolf Priests preach the wisdom of the ancients. We enter the grand eating hall of legend, where Leman Russ once toasted the victories of the Crusade and drank endlessly with his sons until all song had been reduced to Led Zeppelin recitations (the inevitable result of a good booze-up). Here, Leman Russ once again stands with his sons, but it is not joy that fills their hearts (nor alcohol fills their stomachs) ..._

**Russ:** "By the Gods! Have I been forsaken? My Emperor! My Father! Why have you forsaken me?"

**Logan Grimnar:** "My Lord Russ! I too share your rage and anguish! To think your long-prophesied return would be clouded by such despair! I rage against this! I rage against that! I rage in general!" _Kicks over a chair in his anger._

**Ragnar Blackmane:** "Give me endless Ork hordes, give me the foul sorceries of the Thousand Sons, give me the trickery and deception of the Eldar, but take this evil from us! I beg you Emperor! Return our salvation!!"

_He falls to his knees and laments. The thousands of Space Wolves around them do likewise. The sorrow is so great, even the Fang itself cries in frustration, and the wind outside howls as well. _

_Into this scene strides the legendary Wolf Priest Ulrik, leading the re-awakened Bjorn, his armoured dreadnought chassis hissing and clunking along the stone passageways (which apparently are large enough for a Dreadnought. Guess they build them to support giant walking death-machines ...)._

**Ulrik:** "What the hell is all this melodramatics?"

**Bjorn:** "No beer?"

**Russ:** _Rising to his feet. _"THERE ... IS ... NO ... BEER!!!" _He bellows once again, and the wind answers with its own call to anger._

**Bjorn:** "So? Pop down to the off-license and get something then. God-Emperor-almighty, you haven't change a bit have you?"

**Russ:** _Falls to his knees._ "There ... is ... no ... beer ..."

**Bjorn:** "Oh all right, I'll go. What does everyone fancy?"

_Fast-forward several hours, to take into account the nearest off-license (a small local shop that specialises in alcohol, due to the general laws against selling such drinks here in Britain) is in fact on the other side of the continent, and Thunderhawks still have a flight speed (and __**aren't**__ instantaneous transportation), we find Bjorn outside a small shop chatting to the owner inside._

**Bjorn:** "Er ... that'll be twenty-two thousand cans of _Squatfoster_, eighty-two thousand cans of _Commissar Smith's_, and thirty-thousand cans of _Strongbolter_ please ... and sixty thousand packets of salted peanuts ... cheers. How's the kids, by the way?"

**Off-licence Owner: **"Growing up fast, want to be Space Marines when they get old enough. That's so adorable ..."

**Bjorn:** "And the 3% success rate for becoming a Space Marine doesn't bother you?"

**Off-licence Owner:** "Oh good God-Emperor no, it's all in the service of our bright golden AWESOME One isn't it? What better way to senselessly die and suffer your soul being torn apart by eldritch horrors from beyond time and space?"

**Bjorn:** "I guess ..."

**Off-licence Owner:** "They're good kids – I'm sure they'll do fine!"

**Bjorn:** _Leaving the shop with the trucks of beverages following. _"Strange woman ..."

_When Bjorn has left the vicinity of the shop, the owner walks into a back room, and strange whirls of magic surround her. When they have dissipated, some neat Tier 6 gear no adorns her perfect size SWF (that's Standard Warcraft Female) figure. Jaina Proudmoore, leader of Theramore, daughter of Grand Admiral Daelin, destroyer of demons, Thrall's old flame-_

**Jaina:** "What?"

_Ahem ... yeah she's apparently an awesome spellcaster or something ... watch her get pwned by our Magnus later in the story._

**Jaina:** "Oh thanks. Great introduction, by the way. Damn ... forgot my lines now ..."

_'Just as planned', dear._

**Jaina:** "Er ... yeah ... that. Just as planned ... those Wolves will be enjoying their drink tonight ..."

_She looks around, checking no one is in sight, then quietly cackles to herself in a fairly evil manner. Afterwards she blushes in embarrassment then scurries off to watch more click flicks until the appointed time arrives. _

_Speaking of which ... the next morning we return our gaze to that mighty drinking hall to find a thousand Space Wolves slowly waking up after a hard night's drinking. Russ is the first to rise (naturally) and finds himself staring up into the face of Ulrik. _

**Ulrik:** "We have a problem"

_The problem does indeed turn out to be somewhat dire ..._

**Russ:** "My bloody Spear's gone!!"

**Ragnar:** "I thought you didn't like the thing?"

**Russ:** "I don't, but it's **mine!** It's my bloody spear, and some bastard's offed with it!"

**Ulrik:** "I've got a small team checking the place and going through the servo-skull security tapes, but so far whoever committed this act was quite talented ... headache?"

**Russ:** _Holding his head with one hand._ "Yeah ... that wasn't the normal stuff we had ..."

**Ulrik:** "Hmm ... might have been drugged ..." _He turns to a random serf. _"Contact Bjorn and check where he bought the beer, then dispatch a team under the command of one of our finest Wolf Guard to see where the supplier obtained the beverages"

_The serf nods then hurries away._

**Russ:** "Bloody hell ... I feel like a fool ..."

**Ulrik:** "Relax ... such devious and underhanded methods are probably the mark of our old enemies, the Thousand Sons ... contact Magnus and tell him to give it back"

**Russ:** "Probably thinks it's all a barrel full of laughs, the big red twit ..."

**Ulrik:** "Never trust the Thousand Sons ... there's not even a thousand of them ... and swear they're recruiting women now, which throws the whole 'sons' bit out the window ..."

**Russ:** "Aye ... when you get Preferred Enemy ... it sticks through editions"

**Ulrik:** "Like Gav Thorpe ..."

**Russ:** "Ack! That be a harsh thing to say Ulrik. You surprise me laddie"

_We pull back out from this conversation, beyond the Fang, out to the distant mountains where two figures stand observing the Chapter fortress as it slowly awakens to what has transpired that night._

**Jaina:** "Here you go, one Spear of generic purple epic gear" _She hands the Spear of Russ to the figure standing next to her. _

**Thrall:** "An excellent performance, this is what we need? You are sure of this?"

**Jaina:** "If my divinations are correct, this is what we need to open the Chamber"

**Thrall:** "And if it isn't?"

**Jaina:** _/emote frustration._ "Then we find something more powerful. It's not the end of the world, after all this place is full of random powerful probably-demonic-in-origin magical artefacts we can use to get into the Chamber before those Legion bastards!"

**Thrall:** "Too true ... hey can I smell beer?"

**Jaina:** "You **don't** want to taste it – trust me"


	96. Chapter 96

_**Chapter Ninety-six**_

_Atop the great plateau stand the warriors of lightning, straddling the mighty vehicles they ride upon into battle. Their leader raises a single hand, and silence is heard (how can you hear silence? Who writes like this anyway?) from his kinsmen. _

**Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**White Scars Captain:** _penetrating gaze?_

**Khan:** _He nods. penetrating gaze_

**White Scars Captain:** _penetrating gaze! Raises his power glaive high above his head_. "For the Khan and the Emperor!"

**White Scars Marines:** _Raise their own weapons in a similar manner. penetrating gazes!_

_The White Scars rev the engines of their bikes, pull down the 'dark and menacing shades' extension to their helmets, and let fly the black leather jackets covering their armour. Releasing the power of their AdMech-approved motorbike engines, the White Scars speed down the side of the plateau to confront the enemy below._

_Several miles away, another Primarch watches the progress of his battle-brothers with barely restrained amusement. Correcting the slight slant to his shades, Vulcan turns round to his best Captains – hand-picked himself after a series of tests designed to carefully and scientifically measure the sheer badassery of his Marines. They all scored over nine thousand, of course._

**Vulcan:** "So, options?"

**Chapter Master Tu'Shan:** "We stand upon the edge of an abyss; to fall in is to allow our brothers from the White Scars to perform greater acts of badassery than us. This is not acceptable"

**Captain Norris:** "Agreed. The White Scars lack physical prowess, which they attempt to make up for with over-sized pimped-up bikes"

**Captain Bauer: **"They lack conviction, determination, and our ability to go without toilet breaks for a whole twenty-four hours"

**Chapter Master Tu'Shan:** "Points well made my Captains; if we allow the White Scars to obtain the best kills, we will certainly cease from becoming meme"

**Vulcan:** "Then enough with the talk! Every word uttered gives my brother Khan another moment to prove his false belief that he is more hardcore than I am!" _Cries of righteous anger and indignation arise from the Salamanders. _"To arms brothers! Destroy the Ork foe! Burn his ashes, and look utterly awesome while doing so!"

_The Salamanders charge into combat with the Orks; there is much blood spilt, and much awesome display of battle prowess. The killing goes on into the night, seemingly without end, but eventually dawn breaks ... to reveal the killing still has no stopped. _

_We might need to come back to this later._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Instead, let us cast our attention elsewhere in the war-torn galaxy of _Warhammer 40,000_, and observe the efforts of a familiar character and his estranged daughter (as common fan-fiction has demanded, and who am I to argue with such a perfect relationship?)._

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "I'm not arguing any more; my word is final! End of discussion, end or argument, end of this conversation!"

**Taldeer: **"But dad!"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "What did I say? End of argument! Let us consult the runes!" _He throws several small wraithbone shards before him, looks at them for a moment, then looks back up at Taldeer._ "See? The ancestors agree; they tell you to shut up and listen to the wisdom of your father"

**Taldeer:** _Folds her hands and summons the Eldar version of sarcasm (which, like most Eldar emotions, is like ours but ten times worse). _"The same wisdom that told you to try and Mind War a possessed Talisman of Vaul?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "No back-chat! For the love of Isha will someone grant me a _Silence_ spell to rid me of my dear beloved daughter's continuous insistence of having the last word! Can the Crone rid me of her infatuations with inappropriate individuals, while we're at it? Last time it was a Human of the Vindicare Temple, now ... a **Space Marine**?"

**Taldeer:** "At least meet him father! Mephiston's not like the others! He's a gentleman, and understands the pain of a Seer"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "He's still Human ... somewhat. That's enough **not** to understand! Humans never understand anything! Their entire existence is based on **not** **understanding** anything! How did their 'Horus Heresy' begin? By not understanding the dangers of Chaos. How did their empire become so corrupt? By not understanding effective galaxy-wide governmental management. How do they butter toast? With the same knife they will then use to spread on the jam (how revolting is that?). Do I need go on?"

**Taldeer:** "Father! Please!"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "I have spoken! The Gods themselves listen!"

**Taldeer:** "Our Gods are hiding in embarrassment after realising they all slept with Slaanesh"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "You have an answer for **everything**, don't you?"

**Taldeer:** "Learning, are we?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** _He rages, as all fathers do in despair at the immovable object that is their daughter's wishes._ "Fine! I'll meet him! Bring him here as soon as possible, through the Webway if necessary, and I'll give this new relationship of yours my blessings ... if he passes"

**Taldeer:** "Passes? You make it sound like a test"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Excellent, I'm glad nothing got lost in translation between our generation gap ... because it **is** a test"

**Taldeer:** "What sort of tests will you be subjecting my boyfriend to?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** _He cringes at the use of the word 'boyfriend'. _"Oh the normal potentially lethal examinations this universe seems to love. Probably involves Chaos somehow (everything usually does)"

**Taldeer: **"I can't believe you dad ... I really can't ..." _She storms off to her room._

_Eldrad watches her departure, then sighs as he returns his attention to the complex runes he was studying before she burst into his study (appropriate name for the room, I now realise). _

_We follow Taldeer as she returns to her own abode, and immediately logs onto her MSN Warp-Messenger account. Smiling, she notices that many of her friends are on-line, and an evening decrying her father's actions can commence. Here's a small taster, because I'm evil like that:_

_**TDB41: d**__ads lke so unfar!!!11_

_**machalovesyouall:**__ wht happnd??///_

_**TDB41:**__ wants to see mephi_

_**machalovesyouall:**_

_**TDB41:**__ not good – wants 2 kill him wth evl tests_

_**machalovesyouall:**__ :O_

_**TDB41: **__hav to get hm to like mephi – ideas?_

_**machalovesyouall:**__ yeh – i got som ideas_

_And I'll leave you with that ... horrible text speak. May we all pray to the Emperor to send his fiery angels of Proper Usage of the English Language to cleanse with holy flame such foul speak. _

**Taldeer:** "Hey! At least I don't use it in real life!"


	97. Chapter 97

_**Chapter Ninety-seven**_

_As many plots begin to form, and events are put into motion, we return to some of our earlier scenes. On the subject of what Horus and Sanguinius are doing; as Horus races to Terra, his equally egotist brother engages in his second greatest activity:_

**Sanguinius:** "Mirror, mirror on the wall ... who's the most GAR of them all?"

**Mirror:** "Come again? That's your question? Look at me – a ten thousand year old device of immense power, with the ability to see the entire universe and answer a single question any one individual may pose to me, and you ask me **that? **I don't even fething know what that means; how am I supposed to answer that question?"

**Sanguinius:** "Some magical artefact you are! I traded seventeen Thunderhawks, twelve Rhinos, twenty Predators, and a Warhound for you and you can't even understand Internet jargon!"

**Mirror:** "What the hell were you doing with a Warhound?"

**Sanguinius:** "A minor issues, now answer the question – who is the most manly badass in the universe?"

**Mirror:** "That's it? That's all you're going to ask? I can reveal the underlying secrets of the universe – tell you who really runs this place, who the two unknown C'tan really are, what the Illuminati are up to, who the Cabal are, the whole consequences of the Star Child ... and you just want to flatter your ego?"

**Sanguinius:** "Yes"

**Mirror:** "Fair enough ... you're generally ranked about 4th in _Cosmopolitan's Top 100 Sexiest Men in the 40K Universe_"

**Sanguinius:** _His temper flares. _"Fourth? Mere **fourth**?!? Me? Fourth? Who ranks higher than me?"

**Mirror:** "Sorry, one question per individual only. Thank you for your time" _The mirror, which has so far been a fantastic kaleidoscope of colours, fades to a dull reflective surface. _

**Sanguinius:**_ Speaking through clenched teeth._ _"_This ... will ... not ... do!"

_There is a polite knock on the ornate wooden doors leading into Sanguinius' personal room, the type of knock made by an individual who knows that he has arrived at the wrong time, but must proceed into the room anyway, and regrets this deeply. Yet at the same time knows he cannot contain the curiosity as to what has made his Primarch so deeply annoyed, and despite the obvious danger desires to enter through the portal anyway and see what's up. Yes indeed, a simple knock can contain so much to those who know what to listen for (or are writing this story and know the character's mindsets like the back of their ... did I always have a mole there?). _

**Sanguinius:** _Knowing who is behind the door with his Super Primarch Senses TM. _"Enter Mephiston"

**Mephiston:** _Slowly opens the door and pokes his blonde head in. _"Er ... bad time Oh Angel of Blood?"

**Sanguinius:** "Exeedingly, but do not allow this mere fact to spoil your delivery of whatever reason brings you into my private sanctum ..." _He leans closer, and brings the full force of PRIMARCH FEAR into Mephiston. The Lord of Death, of course, is just mildly off-put._ "It **is** a good reason, is it not Mephiston?"

**Mephiston:** "Several reasons actually ... first is that Lemartes informs me that since your glorious resurrection, the Red Thirst is growing weaker each day. Last week only four Marines requested shipments of Chaos Black spray to their quarters"

**Sanguinius:** "This is glorious news Mephiston! We must drink and celebrate the freedom of our Chapter from the curse it has suffered for ten thousand years! This calls for wine! Lots of wine! And ABBA! Lots of ABBA!"

**Mephiston:** _Trying not to back away in fear now._ "Er ... there is a small issue ... the Red Thirst seems to have been replaced by something far more sinister. Instead of visions of your death, my lord, our brothers seem to be experiencing visions of auditioning for the role of 'Joseph' before an 'Andrew Lloyd Webber'"

**Sanguinius:** "The very dream that haunts my sleep! My Chapter shares my greatest hope and aspiration! My sons and I are now truly one!"

**Mephiston:** _Quite thankful now that he defeated the Red Thirst many years ago. _"Yes, my lord ... there is one final thing I want to ask of you ..."

**Sanguinius:** _Dancing around the room, humming the tune to 'Any Dream Will Do'_ "Ask away!"

**Mephiston:** "Can I borrow a frigate? It's a small trip; should be back before lunch ..."

**Sanguinius:** "By all means! Go, my son!" _Continues to dance._

_Mephiston bows, then hastily retreats. Sanguinius continues to dance ..._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Surrounded by an unholy number of monitors, wall-screens, and banks of LCDs, Ferrus Manus is in his element (surrounded by an unholy number of monitors, wall-screens, and banks of LCDs)._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Where the **hell** is it?"

**SHODAN:** "Pitiful creature ... losing such magnificent god-machine as an Imperator Titan ... like our anniversary ... both concepts of great magnitude ... forgotten by my foolish-"

**Ferrus Manus:**_ Muttering out of the corner of his mouth. "_Please dear, not in front of the guys ..."

**Captain Prime:** "My lord, our scouts have completed their sweep of Medusa. The Imperator has not been found. We can safely assume our worst fears have been realised – we have a rogue Imperator Titan loose in this sector"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Grimaces._ "Dad's going to kill me"

**Captain Prime:** "I'd be more concerned about the Fabricator General of Mars, if I'd were you, my lord. Rumours abound that if she had any, they'd not just be solid iron, but those balls of hers would crush Ordinatii between them"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Now there's an interesting mental image I'm going to have to PhotoShop later ... can I count on you to ensure word of this does not reach my father?"

**Captain Prime:** "Have you been paying attention? He mentioned it several chapters back"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Frowns._ "We're so doomed ..."

**Captain Prime:** "That attitude is not complimentary to the situation, my lord. Let us focus on the matter at hand before we worry about the inevitable repercussions of your- I mean **our** actions"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Takes a few deep breaths. _"You are correct Op, find the Titan first. Apologise to Queen Bitch of the Universe afterwards"

**Captain Prime:** "Which one?"

**Ferrus** **Manus:** "Come again?"

**Captain Prime:** "Which Queen Bitch of the Universe? We do have several in this universe, at the moment, your girlfriend included"

**SHODAN:** "What?"

**Captain Prime:** "It's a compliment, my dear. Please accept it as such"

**SHODAN:** "Your pitiful positive words are noted, and I shall review them when the time comes to decide whether your life is worth keeping when I rule this pathetic universe!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Quiet dear and I'll defrag you later" _Turns back to Captain Prime._ "**Not** my delightful sister, **or **my new sister-in-law, **or** Magnus' duo, **or** those DoW Eldar Farseers, **or** anyone with more PMS than an entire pro-feminist rally **with the exception** of that blasted new Fabricator General ... did you get her recent memo?"

**Captain Prime:** "The one outlawing any MMO except WoW?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Yeah, you know what that means?"

_Captain Prime raises an eyebrow._

**Ferrus Manus:** "We have a ****ing WoWer running the AdMech. My Emperor on his shiny throne ... this place is now well and truly going to the pits. People like her are the cancer that's killing /b/"

**Captain Prime:** "Yes my lord, of course"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Stares at the screens. _"Now where in the worlds are you?"

**Captain Prime:** "More to the point – who would steal an Imperator Titan?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _After a moment. _"Who **wouldn't**?"


	98. Chapter 98

_**Chapter Ninety-eight**_

_Deep within the bowels of the _Vengeful Spirit III_ (the first two vessels of that name having suffered two indescribably horrible fates millennia ago), the powerful sorcerer Zaraphiston carefully prepares his dark masterpiece. Steam billows and hisses from the many arcane devices around him, and summon lesser daemons scurry around carrying the icing and cherries. _

**Zaraphiston:** _Dancing around carrying ingredients from one bowl to the next, singing: _"We're baking a cake, we're baking a cake. We're baking a delicious moist cake!"

**Lesser Daemons:** _Also sing: _"We're baking a cake! We're baking a cake! We're baking a delicious moist cake!"

**Zaraphiston & Lesser Daemons:** "We're baking – we're baking – we're **bakingggg!!! A cake!!**"

_The doors burst open ..._

**Abaddon the Despoiler:** "WILL YOU SHUT UP WITH THIS DISNEY-ESQUE SONGFEST!"

_The dancing daemons stop, the bright lights (that have mysteriously appeared from nowhere) fade, and Zaraphiston looks downtrodden. He slowly stirs the cake mixture._

**Zaraphiston:** "But I like making cakes ... makes me feel happy ..."

**Abaddon:** "We're Chaos Marines – we're not supposed to be happy. Now shut up and bake; Horus wants the cake finished before we enter Terra's orbit" _He goes to leave, half closing the door behind him before he remembers something._ "Oh, and Hecate says she's got a slice reserved, before anyone else gets their grubby fingers on it"

**Zaraphiston:** _He grins and evil grin. _"I shall fill it with more calories than a McDonald's store!"

**Abaddon:** "Nice try, but she **is** a Primarch" _He closes the door and walks down the corridor away from the kitchens. After navigating the corridors of the vessel for half an hour he's approached by a certain Garviel Loken, who looks decidedly annoyed by something._ "What is it Garvi?"

**Loken:** "I want more dialogue!"

**Abaddon:** _Taken aback somewhat._ "What? Don't you have enough to talk about between you and your fellow do-gooders? You know – the best way to save a stranded cat in a tree, feed orphans, adopt an adorable puppy ... I bet Tarik would love a puppy! Might actually be the first time he's found someone more stupid than he"

**Loken:** "I'm not talking about off-screen dialogue, I mean proper contribution to the plot! I'm a damn main character in no less than three best-selling Black Library books, and **this** is what I'm reduced to in this parody? By rights I should have a main part!"

**Abaddon:** "That's Black-Library-**in-name-only**, in case someone gets confused by the **actual** Black Library the Harlequins have lodged somewhere in the Webway (but not the part the Emperor's trying to buy off Cegorach). Secondly, if you want a main part, I've got an excellent main part here for you ..."

**Loken:** "Really?"

**Abaddon:** "Follow me ..." _Places a huge arm around Loken's shoulders and leads him through the corridors of the vessel. _"I know that you've been deprived of core material these days, and both me and the Powers That Be sympathise with you. Let me assure you I've taken your case to Lastie, and we both agree this part is the most fitting tribute to your character"

**Loken:** "Wow ... I'm ... I'm honoured ... wait ... is this an airlock?"

**Abaddon:** _Standing on the __**right**__ side of the airlock door, presses a button on the wall just outside. _"Yes. How perceptive of you" _The airlock door slams down._

**Loken:** _Standing on the __**wrong **__(I.e. Inside the airlock) side of the airlock door, just has enough time to mutter some choice expletives before the outside door opens and he's sucked into the vacuum of space._

**Abaddon:** _Walking away from the airlock, smiling smugly._ "Today's looking up ... wonder where I can find Tarik ...?"

_We pan the camera outside the ship, to watch a lone marine as he makes his lonely way through the barren void of space. Already moving away from the vessel, away from the planet the ship's heading towards, away from the star the planet moves around, the marine enters the vast gulf of space. With luck, he might drift close enough to a star that it becomes larger than the tiny pin-points of light now around him ... but it's doubtful ... such is the sheer size of space chances are he'll never drift close enough to anything for the rest of existence, until the galaxy itself collapses. _

**Loken:** _Pulls out a gun and blows his brains out._

_Oh dammit! Deprive me of my sadistic pleasure why don't you!_

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Moving away from killing off annoying Black Library characters, we return again to the Grand Imperial Palace of Awesome and Win (to give it its full title). Where the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Is having problems with a Wii remote ..._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_The remote flies out of his hand again._ "Oh bugger"

**The Liche King: **_Waves his own remote around in triumph. _"HA! Triumph again! Score one for the Liche-Meister!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Walking away from the immense plasma screen TV. "_Dorn! You're up! Don't let the side down boy!"

**Rogal Dorn:** _He sighs, and accepts a new Wii remote from one of the nearby servitors. _"The things I do for the glory of the Imperium ... right Arthas, what will it be? Tennis? Bowling? Baseball?"

_The doors leading into the EMPEROR OF MANKIND!'s personal entertainment room burst open, and there stands Warmaster Horus in all his glory ... and Abaddon the Partially Forgiven, with Zaraphiston The Relatively Unknown, and Hecate plus her lieutenants. _

**Horus:** "WHAT'S THIS I SEE? DORN ATTEMPTING **FUN**?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "And it's wonderful to see you too Horus ... would **you** like to challenge Arthas to _Wii Sports_?"

**Horus:** "I would not only **challenge **him! I shall **defeat** him too!" _Takes the controller from Dorn and adopts and AWESOME stance. _"So ... Arthas ... let us dance!"

**The Liche King (Arthas): **_Adopts an equally AWESOME stance. _"Indeed"

_Music begins._

**Hecate:** _Rolls her eyes. _"For the love of ... when you two are quite finished having a pissing contest!"

**Horus:** "Hey, that sounds like a good idea. Fancy it afterwards Arthas?"

**The Liche King (Arthas):** "Highly appropriate considering the name of the console" _[Author's Note: I'm sorry, but that cannot ever get old]_

**Hecate:** _Throws up her hands in despair. _

_As we watch Horus show off his awesome Wii skills, Malcador the Ever Shifty slowly sides up to the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! And whispers something in his ear._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Say what?"

_Malcador whispers again._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Stop whispering man! My super-sensitive hearing finds it pounding in my ears! Talk normally!"

**Malcador:** "Well that makes no sense, but as you wish my lord: the missing Imperator Titan has been confirmed as ex-Medusa, that is to say it's been taken off-world. Lord Ferrus Manus is conducting a search as we speak"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I don't trust that fool to find his meme from his copypasta; get Dorn on it"

**Rogal Dorn:** "What?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I have spoken, and my word is law. Live with it. Find your brother's Titan then kick his ass for me. Horus – have you whipped Arthas' ass yet?"

**Horus: **"Almost dad, it's a tricky ass to whip"

**Dorn:** "I'm not going to grace that with a comment"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You just did"

**Horus:** "AWESOME! Watch me bend this Wii!"

**Dorn:** "... you know, I think chasing after a Titan sounds like a lot of fun ..."

_[Author's Note: The Wii jokes end here, I promise]_


	99. Chapter 99

_**Chapter Ninety-nine**_

_The outskirts of large cities are a strange place; the sprawling urban landscape either gives way to green pastures and fields of various plant products (if you live in the fictional, idealistic vision of England) or crummy housing estates populated by the type of individuals who throw eggs at the windows of the Games Workshop store while you're all inside on Veteran's Evening having a good time and doing something __**productive**__ with your life (if you live in the __**actual**__ England, or at least this part of Essex). For the sake of the narrative we'll assume that the Banshee Queen Bitch of the Universe (Copyright Blizzard Entertainment), Sylvanas Windrunner, has led our heroes Perturabo, Lord of Pie Plates, and Angron, Lord of Hitting Things With Sharp And/Or Blunt Objects, to the more idealistic vision of a post-urban countryside. On the horizon the city they just left continues about its business, while sheep mill about nearby._

_Angron promptly picks one up and shoves a fence he picked up a mile back into it._

**Sarah:** "What the hell are you doing, dear?"

**Angron:** _Proudly displays his most recent invention._ "Look! A Sheep-Hammer! It'll make a perfect, child-friendly birthday gift for our kids!"

**Sarah:** "**If** we have kids, darling. I'm still not certain whether us conceiving would be a smart and intelligent thing to do for the future safety and security of the universe. I mean, with my brains and your brawn ... think of what they could do!"

**Angron:** _Smiles as his imagination runs into overdrive ... or rather, as this is __**Angron's**__ imagination we're talking about, second gear at least. _"We'll conquer the multiverse ... we'll be eating the Discworld; turtle and elephant stew for decades ..."

**Sylvanas:** _Turning to Perturabo._ "Is he always like this?"

**Perturabo:** "I'm afraid so. It was decided by my father's geneticists that in order to counter-balance Angron's ungodly destructive capabilities, he would be given the imagination of a wet blanket, thus crippling any ego-fuelled desire to destroy the universe. He simple can't **think** of a way to go about it. Unfortunately dad didn't count on our brother Horus becoming the brains to Angron's brawn"

**Sylvanas:** "I've heard much of your Horus ... Warmaster, is the title you give him? I've heard he is a general beyond compare, a man of legendary prowess and ability ..." _She drifts off dreamily ..._

**Perturabo:** _Noticing the look on the undead Elf's face, rolls his eyes._ "Damn you Horus" _He mutters under his breath. _"Anyway, getting back to what we were talking about; you say our CABAL (Concerned About Baneful Alter-dimensional Lifeforms) has been corrupted by an outside entity?"

**Sylvanas:** "Precisely. We tracked the Great Enemy's presence to this franchise, and noted the activities of your CABAL seems to match known behaviours of organisations the Great Enemy has influenced before. We fear that it has made an entrance into your universe, and seeks to absorb the energies from this realm"

**Perturabo:** "What type of energies?"

**Sylvanas:** "Plot holes; huge gapes within the structure of Narrativium that holds and binds your fictional universe together. The result of bad, lazy, or simply incompetent storytelling (like this parody, really ...). The Great Enemy feeds on these breaks in Narrativium, and grows powerful on its corruptive energies"

**Perturabo:** "Wait ... you're telling me this universe has been invaded by an ancient plot hole eating monster?"

**Sylvanas:** "Well ... yes. That's one way of putting it"

**Perturabo:** "Well ... it's going to have a field day here. This place is like an all-you-can-eat buffet ..." _He frowns._ "Are you sure this is the place we're supposed to meet your friends?"

**Sylvanas: **"Yes, this is the exact place ..." _She looks around._ "They should be here by now ..."

**Perturabo:** _He frowns. _"Can you feel that?"

**Sylvanas:** "Feel what?"

**Perturabo:** "The earth ... it's like ... small ... regular interval ... earthquakes ..."

_A large shadow looms over them all, and our heroes spin around on the spot to gaze up at the immense bulk of an Imperator Titan. Various flags have been draped from the battlements, none of them Imperial in appearance. As the Primarchs, the Zerg/Human/PMS hybrid, and the equally irritable Banshee Queen Bitch of the Universe look on, hundreds of green faces appear from the battlements and cheer down at our heroes._

**Perturabo:** "How the ******** did we miss that? How? How do you **not** see an Emperor-Class Titan coming? How is it **physically possible **not to see it from miles away?"

**Sylvanas:** "Plot hole"

_A large, heavily armoured (in the true Blizzard sense of putting more metal than flesh on their characters, in a style that makes the typical anime character look quite sensible in defensive attire (not counting those that obey the 'Less is More' attitude to armour)) Orc appears and salutes the assembled below._

**Thrall, Son of Durotan, and Second Greatest Horde Badass:** "Hey, look who it is"

_A second Ork (this time with a 'k') appears, clad also in more metal than should be physically possible for a creature their size to lift. _

**Ghazghkull Thraka, Son of Someone, and Second Greatest Ork Badass: **"Yo! 'ummies! How's youz hanging?"

**Angron:** "What the hell?"

**Sylvanas: **"Thrall! You're late! And who's this? What the hell are you riding?"

**Thrall:** "It's an IMPERATOR TITAN! A mount fitting for a union of strength!"

**Thraka:** "A union of might!"

**Thrall:** "A union of a determination!"

**Thraka:** "A union of an Orc's right to rule!"

**Thrall:** "Thrall!"

**Thraka:** "And Thraka!"

**Thrall & Thraka:** "GREEN 'TILL THE END!"

**Perturabo:** _face palms_

**Sylvanas:** "Er ... yes ... have you contacted the others?"

**Thrall:** _He nods._ "They're on their way"

**Perturabo:** "If this 'Great Enemy' of yours is as bad as you make it out to be, I need to contact my brothers. Time we launched into action again, I suppose. Universe needs saving ... again" _Pulls out a small mobile warp-phone_. "Hello? Operator? I'd like to make a intergalactic call please?"

**Sylvanas:** "Are your brothers as good as Horus?"

**Perturabo:** _Pauses for a moment, unsure as to how to answer that._ "Er ... in their own, unique ways ... yes"

**Sylvanas:** "Then we shall not fall! With such mighty heroes united, we shall triumph over the Great Enemy and restore law, order, and coherent narrative to all fictional universes everywhere!"

**Perturabo:** _Wondering where this woman comes from._ "Er ... sure ... if you want to believe that"

**Angron:** "I love these Warcraftians ... so optimistic aren't they?"

**Perturabo:** "Ang, compared to us, **everyone's** an optimist. In this universe there are only two constants: skulls and emo"

**Angron:** _Looks at himself. _"Need more skulls"


	100. Chapter 100

_**Chapter One Hundred**_

_**Ancient Terra (aka Earth) – 30,000AD ... just after the evening news**_

_Deep within the top secret research facility of the Unified Peoples of Terra*, the greatest minds of the universe are busily adding the final touches to a project decades in the making. Utilising the data harboured from the success of the genetically engineered warriors of the Unification Wars, these scientist are hard at work creating the next step in Human evolution. Combining the most powerful genes and state-of-the-art genomancy, they seek to create twenty warriors of unrivalled power. The greatest generals to lead mankind into a new era of galactic domination! This is the dawn of the Great Crusade, and at the forefront of this conquest will stand the PRIMARCHS! Gaze upon their small infantile forms within the liquid-filled glass containers that monitors their growth! Gaze upon these mighty warriors, and know that they are Gods Amongst Men!_

**Horus:** _Farts. Little bubbles exit his rear and trail upwards through the liquid to the surface where they pop with audible symphony. _

_Yeah ... as I was saying ... Gods amongst men ..._

**Random Terran Scientist: **_Ticking off a series of boxes on a crystal holo-sheet she holds. "_Everything seems in order. Magnus needs a new container – he's outgrown his current one"

**Another Random Terran Scientist:** "Again? This is the fourth test tube we've had to make for him! Is it really necessary for him to be this big ... and red?"

**RTS:** "Tracy demands that he be this size, and are you questioning Tracy's wisdom?"

**ARTS:** "Of course not! I'm just tired of moving that big red one-eyed toad when he gets too fat ... what's Alpharius doing?"

**RTS:** _Turning to observe the infant Alpharius._ "He seems to be doing a fine impression of you, complete with hidden undertones of childhood trauma and a lack of self-confidence suffered after that girl you fancied during high school refused to go to the prom with you"

**ARTS:** _Picks up a large metal pole._ "Why that little!" _Bangs on the glass a few times._ "Take the piss out of me, why don't you! And for the record – I married a woman far better than that stuck-up Jenny! Where's she now? Eh? Where's she now?"

**Jenny:** "Standing beside a rather irate EMPEROR OF MANKIND!"

_ARTS slowly turns around, to gaze upon the awe-inspiring presence of, indeed, a rather irate EMPEROR OF MANKIND! _

**ARTS:** "Ah ... my lord"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"REJECTED!" _Glorious rays of divine energy consume ARTS and turn him into mere ash. Alpharius sticks his tongue out at the remains._ "Last time I hire university postgraduates ... stick that back in Alpharius, before I do it for you!" _The tongue immediately retracts._ "Take note Jenny – that's how you instruct children. Fear of imminent and painful death ensures any child obeys your commands"

**Jenny: **_Writes something on the holosheet she carries._ "I'll remember that my lord ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"How are they Random Terran Scientist?"

**RTS:** "That's not actually my name, my lord ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Don't care"

**RTS:** "Oh ... well they've all checked out OK. The gene therapy is responding well, and they're all beginning to manifest the extreme two dimensional personality traits you ordered"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Excellent. I can't have my generals having more personality than me – that's just not proper! I'm the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! bitches – take note Jenny" _Jenny scribbles something on her holosheet._ "Well if everything checks out for today, we can close up for the night and go eat some pizza or something"

**Jenny:** "You mean leave them alone overnight?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"They're big kids in test tubes now, they can take it"

**Jenny:** "Can I ... stay here? Keep them company? They might get lonely you know ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Raises an AWESOME eyebrow._ "Interesting ... what are you planning to do? Read them a bedtime story?"

**Jenny:** "Well ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Oh good grief, you were. Oh very well, although I demand to select a bedtime story appropriate for my little generals of AWESOME and WIN"

**Jenny:** "I was thinking 'Makari and His Flag'"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Excellent choice! Off you go!"

**Jenny:** _Noticing everyone, gestating Primarchs included, watching her intently, taps her holosheet a few times. _"Is everyone sitting comfortably?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Well I am. They're-" _He points at the Primarchs._ "-floating"

**Jenny:** "Er ... ahem ...

_Once upon a time, there was a small Grot called Makari who had a big flag, all pretty and green. Makari loved his flag – he would wave it about every day and marvel at the colours._

"_That's a productive use of his time. Does the Ork army get benefits if he waves it faster?"_

_Please, my lord ... anyway ... Makari would always go into battle with his flag, and wave it before the enemy in defiance. Many times the enemy tried to take the flag from Makari, but Makari was too lucky for them. Lucky because he had his flag._

"_How the hell does that work? Does the cloth impart some magical saving throw against the laws of physics?"_

_My lord! I can do without the interruptions! Now, one day Makari woke up to find his flag had gone! He searched high and low, but he could not find the flag! Makari was very sad, for he loved his flag very much, and it was nowhere to be found. Makari looked under his bed, but the flag was not there. He looked on top of his bed, but the flag was not there._

"_It's going to be one of those stories isn't it? Can we skip to the part where the little snot finds his flag?"_

_But that defeats the whole point of the story, my lord!_

_Makari went to the Runtherdz, and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'No', said the Runtherdz. ' We haven't see your flag, but we do see a loose Grot!' With that they tried to catch Makari! But Makari was swift and lucky, and ran away!_

"_Oh that was exciting ..."_

_Makari went to the Stormboyz, and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'No', said the Stormboyz, 'but we do want to test out our new rocket pack'. With that said, they tied a rocket to Makari and lit it! Makari shot up into the stars, but his luck held fast and he missed them all, landing back to the ground without a stratch._

"_He missed a __**star?**__ The damn things aren't exactly small, you know? 20% chance of containing an irate C'tan too ..."_

_Ahem ... Makari went to the Lootaz and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'No', said the Lootaz, 'but we got this cool new Human mega-death-machine that we want to try out on someone'. So they shot Makari with it, but Makari's luck held fast and the mega-death-machine destroyed everyone but Makari._

_Then Makari went to the Flash Gitz-_

"_Wait, I thought you said everyone died?"_

_Then Makari went to the Flash Gitz and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'No', said the Flash Gitz, 'Your flag isn't flash enough for us'. So Makari went to the Kommandos and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'No', said the Kommandos, 'what use for a flag do we have? We sneak, and flags would give us away'. _

"_What? They're not trying to kill Makari?"_

_Then Makari went to the Pain Doks, and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'No', said the Pain Doks, 'but we do see a prime candidate for our new bioniks'. But Makari's luck held out, and he ran away from the mad Pain Doks._

_Then Makari went to the Mekboyz, and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'No', said the Mekboyz, 'but we do see a prime candidate for a Killer Kan'. But Makari's luck held out, and he ran away from the mad Mekboyz._

"_Oh, running away. Great morality tale to teach the kids there"_

_Then Makari went to the Wierdboyz, and asked them if they had seen his flag. 'Yes', said the Wierdboyz, 'we see many flags. All of them bright colours, and many shapes and sizes. Some ignore the laws of our universe, others make new ones up. But none of them are your flag'._

_By now Makari was sad, so he went to Ghazghkull and lamented. 'What you upset for?' Ghazghkull commented. 'Your damn flag's been tied to your back this whole story!'_

**Jenny:** "And that's the end"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"That's it? That's it?!? I sat through that damn story, and the damn flag was on the guy's back all along? What a cop-out!"

**Jenny:** "How would you have ended it, my lord?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Simple ...

_By now Makari was sad, so he went to Ghazghkull and lamented. 'SHUT UP YOU STUPID GROT!' Ghazghkull bellowed, and promptly sat on the damn annoying pip-squeak._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"... and the moral of the story? Don't waste your time looking for stupid flags when you could be out there killing xenos in my name. Remember that kids!"

_The Primarchs nod in unison._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Right, Jenny? That was a pointless story that wasted my AWESOME time – REJECTED! And RTS? REJECTED! Because you're apparently too damn lazy to get yourself a character name" _Turns to the reader._ "And as for you ...

**REJECTED!**

I get to kill everyone. Damn awesome 100th chapter in my books. Right, you little sods can bugger off into the warp and learn how much the universe sucks the hard way. I'm off to get some pizza and chill out with Hecate's Legion ... what? Did you think I made female Space Marines to satisfy equal rights campaigners? Your daddy has needs, kids. That's why I made you lot. Can't conquer a galaxy** and** get some action at the same time ... well ... I could, but I'd rather just get some action****"**

_With that said, our glorious leader of men, the shining example of all that is AWESOME about Humanity, walks from the room as the warp portal opens and consumes the infantile Primarchs. Their fate is well documented, and as for the EMPEROR? His fate is not suitable for a PG-13 rating. _

_Indeed, Gods Amongst Men. Lucky bastards._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_* The Public Relations department are wondering about the positive image the current name entails, and are debating whether to rename to something more bleak and oppressing, like the 'Imperium of Man', in order to discourage any nasty concepts people may have that this is a democracy, and not a brutal totalitarian dictatorship created, and ruled by, an insane, powerfully psychic, megalomaniac. _

_**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **__"Ouch; that's harsh. I'm a huge supporter of democracy ... I just believe my vote counts double ... double everyone else's"_

_** This might shed some light on what happened to the Brides of the Emperor when the Adeptus Custodes led them before the Golden Throne._

_**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **__"Oh yeah ..."_

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Lorgar:** "Well, dad brutally murdered the only mother figure we ever had before our eyes at a young age, then tossed us across the universe so he could get lots of genetically engineered sex ... that explains a few things"

**Horus:** "Why we're all screwed up?"

**Lorgar:** "That, and why I keep looking for green flags ..."


	101. Chapter 101

_**Chapter One Hundred and One**_

_Across the vast gulf of space, across the immense void between worlds, across the endless expanse of nothing that can possibly transmit sound, the laws of physics once again weep as this science fantasy author casually dismisses them to ensure that Nurgle's cry of joy is heard across the cosmos._

_This cry reaches the ears of two individuals currently catching some rays of sunlight (from two suns, no less) with their completely unrealistically gorgeous bodies (the type you __**never**__ see outside your typical fantasy illustrations), relaxing on the chairs near the pool of a considerably expensive and certainly luxurious ocean liner as it trawls through the seas of a backwater Imperial world (the type that never sees war, despite what the tagline for this franchise may have you believe)._

**Slaanesh:** _Reading some hentai doujinshi (read: fan-made manga). _"What the hell is he so happy about?"

**Khorne:** _Currently enjoying that time of the month, and has become female just to catch the menstrual cycle at the right time. _"Who cares?" _She flicks the page of the book she's reading and grimaces. _"Probably found out about his new girlfriend"

**Slaanesh:** _Frowns._ "When did Nurgle get a girlfriend?** How** does Nurgle have a girlfriend?" _Leans closer._ "Is she hot?"

**Khorne:** "You should know – it's your old one-night-stand, Isha"

**Slaanesh:** _Her mouth drops open._ "When the **hell** did Isha hook up with Nurgle? Aren't they like, two entirely different sides of the mortality spectrum?"

**Khorne:** "Apparently after you dumped her, Isha suffered some major depression, and you know what happens when depression sets in?"

**Slaanesh:** "Nurgle arrives with a bunch of decaying flowers and a box of maggot-infested chocolate?"

**Khorne:** _Groans as she reads another paragraph of her book._ "You got it. Now they're apparently shacking up sharing STI's and writing depressing poetry together. Congrats, by the way"

**Slaanesh:** "When did do you find about this? He must have been dating her for the past ten thousand years, and it took me this long to hear about it?"

**Khorne:** "You got _Codex: Chaos Daemons?_"

**Slaanesh:** "Don't be stupid. You know I swore off 40K when they gave my girls bras"

**Khorne:** "There we go then. Don't complain when you get left-fielded by retcons" _She groans again as she continues to read her book._

**Slaanesh**:"What are you reading there anyway?"

**Khorne:** "_Eragon_. I find it helps to keep the hormone-induced rage simmering by reading bad fantasy fiction that insults both your intelligence and your imagination"

_Obvious author opinion, you think? _

**Slaanesh:** "Rather you than me. Changing the subject slightly, when do you think the others will be here?"

**Khorne**:"Do I care?"

**Tzeentch:** _Appearing along with Falal from a wonderfully plot-device-like warp portal._ "Apparently not. Sorry we're late; Magnus' game ran into overtime"

**Slaanesh:** "How is that possible with D&D? And how are you **late?** Surely if you have everything planned and accounted for you can't be **late?**"

**Tzeentch:** "I ... er ... kinda ... had a spontaneous hot make-out session with Mag before we left ... it was completely Not As Planned!"

**Falal:** _Dreamily._ "But it was **good**"

**Slaanesh:** "Normally I would ask for details, positions, quality of orgasm on a scale of one to ten (with one being reading a C S Goto attempt at an Eldar mindset, and ten being Jes Goodwin declaring that he had discovered a way to distil his modelling skills into pure fiction, and that the Black Library-in-name-only would be releasing the resulting stories immediately and putting the before mentioned Goto to holy cleansing flame) ... but we have more important things to discuss"

**Tzeentch:** "The Plot Hole has arrived. It's also rather hungry, and we've got plenty of sustenance to satisfy its immense appetite"

**Falal:** "Yeah, perhaps it wasn't a good thing that the Primarchs re-wrote the universe; we've got continuity errors everywhere. I mean – Ghazghkull alive during the Unification Wars? Where the hell did that come from? Is this author actually paying attention to things like that?"

_No. This is a parody, not a serious work of fiction. If you want that ... go read _Dune_ or something (far more 40K than most Black Library-in-name-only fiction is)._

**Tzeentch:** "Immaterial darling ... like us"

_There is a moment of silence, as the other three Chaos Gods stare at Tzeentch with a mixture of expressions: embarrassment to be associated (Falal), anger at such an abomination of an attempt at humour (Khorne), and delight at the perverse raping of such a concept (Slaanesh). Tzeentch allows the moment of uncomfortable, _The Office_-style awkward humour to simmer ..._

**Tzeentch:** "Never attempt humour again?"

**Falal:** "Please don't"

**Khorne:** "Unless you want me to tear you a new one and shove Skarbrand up there?"

**Slaanesh:** "Do that again, go on! I'm forming puddles just thinking about it!"

_Another uncomfortable period of silence ..._

**Khorne:** _Putting down her book._ "This is why we don't get together often – we squick each other out too easily! Soon I'm going to make a comment about babies, intestines, axes, and squeezable bottles and you'll guys will look at me as if I'd just declared a love for _Two and a Half Men_!"

**Tzeentch:** "Don't even **joke** about that! We Chaos Gods may not have much in the way of standards, but we bloody do have **some!** I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I for one don't settle for just any old tentacle ... or extra arm ... or orifice-" _Slaanesh giggles at the mention of this word._ "-on my follows. **No!** I go for the best mutations, the **best** damn mutations that any follower of an insane, Lovecraftian trans-dimensional deity could ask for. We have standards people, lets not forget it"

**Slaanesh:** _Reaches down beside her and picks up the 4th Edition _Codex: Chaos Space Marines_._ "Easy for you to preach about standards and all that jazz when we've got our finest using these rules – I still don't understand how my unique psychic power, Lash of Confusion, is supposed to work"

**Tzeentch:** _Grimaces._ "Yeah that's Zuvassin's fine work there. Every time I think I've manipulated the timing of the coffee, the perfect toppings on their ordered pizza, and reducing the hassle of the kids to an all-time low during codex development that bloody git jumps in at the last stages of writing the damn thing and edits all their carefully worded rules into a jumbled, unintelligible mess. Unfortunately those idiots soon start worshipping him, and before you know it – **wham!** No FAQs until 5th ed. Nice work there Zu ... still, Gav Thorpe, his Aspiring Champion, has left ... so all looks good ..."

**Slaanesh:** "I might be able to understand my own rules?"

**Tzeentch:** "I'm planning to appear to Alessio in a dream disguised as the Horned Rat – too cliché?"

**Khorne:** "Never too cliché"

**Falal:** "I think we're diverging from the topic of this meeting ... on this rather nice cruise ship – where are we Nesha?"

**Khorne:** _With all the sarcastic force pre-menstrual tension can provide. "_Wow – us Chaos Gods unable to maintain and organised meeting. Fancy that ..."

**Tzeentch:** "I can tell this is going to take some time ... shall we adjourn to a realm of existence devoid of the passage of the fourth dimension to help matters?"

**Khorne:** "We shouldn't need to ... Nesha ... what are you doing? Are you using Lash on your breasts?"

**Slaanesh:** "Look! I can make them move up and down! This power is fantastic! Can we go to the bar next? I want to 'pull' some hot flesh"

**Tzeentch:** _Sighs, and settles herself down beside the two._ "Our universe is ending and you're concerned about abusing Lash for mere pick-up usage"

**Falal:** "Relax. The universe won't end"

**Tzeentch:** "What makes you so sure? I'm asking, of course, as the God of cunning plans, Xanatos roulettes, and Just As Planned"

**Falal:** _With absolute confidence. _"Magnus and the others will save the day"

_Another, final moment of silence._

**Khorne:** "You're new at all this, aren't you?"


	102. Chapter 102

_**Chapter One Hundred and Two**_

_The gardens of the average (if there can be such a description of 'average' in a universe that's almost written entirely to encourage people to make mad conversions and claim anything is possible (like Chaos Grey Knights and Necron Flower Sellers)) Craftworld are possibly the most beautiful places to enjoy a date. Words cannot really describe how the colours of the natural plant life around are heightened by the carefully chosen and placed lights that gently hum with ethereal music. _

_Basically, it's a damn nice place. Better than the crappy bit of open fields half a mile from where I live, and a lot nice than any park you can find in a city like London. It's so nice, even a man soaked in death, violence, and mass genocide like Mephiston can appreciate the beauty. Of course, he's also a Blood Angel, a Chapter noted for being appreciators of beauty and fine art when not brutally murdering people._

**Mephiston:** _Raises a glass of exquisite Eldar wine (which, despite what you probably think, isn't blue)._ "A toast, my dear, to a perfect end to a perfect day"

**Taldeer:** _Raises her own glass, which glows gently with the IMMENSE PSYCHIC ENERGY contained within her._ "Indeed. May tomorrow be as perfect as to-"

**Eldrad:** _Appearing from seemingly nowhere, in true Just As Planned fashion._ "Hope I'm not interrupting anything?" _Spoken in a tone of voice that makes it quite clear he really doesn't give a damn if he is. _

**Taldeer:** "Dad! Do you mind?"

**Eldrad:** "Of course not. Mephiston, may I have a word?"

**Mephiston:** "If it's about that incident earlier with the squidgy cream, I've apologies already-"

**Eldrad:** _Waves his hand dismissively. _"That's not it. Would you follow me please?"

_Curious and apprehensive, Mephiston follows Eldrad away from where Taldeer sits with the picnic basket. They move out of sight to a more secluded area behind some conveniently large and sound-proof trees. Eldrad sighs, then reaches up and pulls off his face._

**Alpharius?:** "Damn bloody disguise. Makes my face itch. So, how's it going?"

**Mephiston:** "Alpharius? What are you doing here?"

**Omegon:** "It's Omegon actually, but that's a minor issue. As for why I'm here; I'm talking to you. Sorry about the ruse, but it was the only way I can move about this place and not get mind-raped to oblivion and back. Strangely enough, being disguised as Ulthran tends to discourage people from scanning me ... with any resultant head-exploding after effects. Plus they're all super-polite to you, which is a strange experience ... having an Eldar hold open a door for you"

**Mephiston:** "They don't do that for me ... I think one slammed that door in my face deliberately ..."

**Omegon:** "Yeah, sweet. Well, I'm not here deep in arrogant xenos territory just for idle chatter. I need you to come with me"

**Mephiston:** "What? But I'm on a date – give me five more minutes and I am **so** in there!"

**Omegon:** "Meph, the universe is more important than your sex life, and the universe is what we're talking about here"

**Mephiston:** "But-!"

**Omegon:** "Excellent, I'm glad you saw the greater good and agreed ... oh sorry. Been spending too much time in the Tau Empire lately. Some of their 'greater good' ******** is beginning to rub off on me ... I blame my lack of personality. The downside of just being created in canon; I'm like a black hole, I suck in characterisation from around me ... hey, it might be a good idea to stick around with you then ... oh"

_They turn to see Taldeer standing beside them, hands on hips and an Eldar expression of annoyance on her face._

**Mephiston:** "How long have you been standing there?"

**Taldeer:** "Since 'It's Omegon actually ...'"

**Mephiston:** "Oh ... so you heard-"

**Taldeer:** "Yes and I agree – I was so **close!** Now you're here prattling on about saving the universe and ruining my chance to get laid for the first time in millennia and you **disguised yourself as my dad?!?** Do you have any shame whatsoever?"

**Omegon:** "Look ... I'm just following my brother's instructions ..."

**Taldeer:** "Which one? You have **nineteen** last I counted"

**Omegon:** "Don't need to remind me. It's a pain in the neck buying presents for everyone come birthdays (we share the same day) and Christmas ... luckily none of us go for any of the others ... like Thanksgiving or Ascension Day ..."

**Taldeer:** "What do you celebrate at Thanksgiving?"

**Omegon:** "Oh, just the birth of Jes Goodwin and the awesome he gives to our universe ..."

**Taldeer:** _Looks down at her Jes-sculpted robe/armour combo. _"Hell yeah"

**Mephiston:** "So what brings you here?"

**Jaina Proudmore:** "Me"

_All turn to regard the new arrival, having successfully pulled off the sudden, unannounced arrival from seemingly nowhere like Taldeer did moments before (easily pulled off when the narrator doesn't mention them sneaking through the undergrowth). _

**Taldeer:**_ Sizing the girl up as a rival in the 'magic girl' department. "_Nice arrival"

**Jaina:** "Thanks. You must be Taldeer. Didn't they kill you off in _Soulstorm_?"

**Taldeer:** "Rumours of my death have been grossly vilified by my fans ... which led to my resurrection in established canon (and 5th Edition Eldar Codex ...)"

**Jaina:** "I see ..."

**Omegon:** "She's with me ... or I'm with her ... or I'm with her who's with me ... or-"

**Jaina:** "Please stop there. My Blizzard-written personality can't handle a plot more complex than 'beat up the guy who's gone evil with conveniently morality-skewed insanity'"

**Taldeer:** "Welcome to the forty-first millennium, darling. Please leave your sanity and alignment axis at the door. You may pick it up again when you leave ... providing you still want it"

**Jaina:** "No thanks, I** like** my sanity. I think I'll keep hold of it thank you"

**Mephiston:** _Leans close to Omegon and whispers._ "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

**Omegon:**_ Whispering back. "_Does it involve mud and limited clothing?"

**Taldeer:** "No. Omegon; why the hell is Queen of the Swamp here?"

**Omegon:** "She's part of an elite strike force dispatched from their plot hole-ridden franchise to seek out and destroy the great Devourer of Continuity Errors"

**Taldeer:** "The **what**?"

**Jaina:** "The Great Enemy, the Harbinger of Bad Fiction, the Plot Hole to end all plot holes. Call it what you want, but it is the single greatest threat to known fiction. Spawned by the greatest plot hole in all of fantasy fiction, it has gained sentience and a **vast **hunger. We're here to help you guys kick its ass once and for all, and **we're** here in this Craftworld of yours to see your help"

**Taldeer:** "Oh really? What do you need? Bare in mind that we may, or may not, wish to help you. It depends on what the runes say ... or if we can be bothered"

**Jaina:** _Holds up an ornate spear._ "We need you to enhance the power of Anaris so that it may open the gates of the Well of Eternity. With the power contained within we can destroy the Great Enemy with the power of ... why are you laughing?"

**Taldeer:** _Giggling away quite happily._ "That's not Anaris"

**Jaina:** "What? But-"

**Taldeer:** "That's some random spear, Anaris is a **sword**"

**Jaina:** "Oh ... then ... oh dear"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Elsewhere, the great Primarch Leman Russ stands before an immense war host of assembled Space Wolves on the snowy slops of Fenris. Lifting a massive sword to the heavens, it glows with ethereal energies as Russ speaks to his sons._

**Russ:** "TO THE ANNOYINGLY UNNAMED HOMEWORLD OF THE THOUSAND SONS! We got ourselves some **revenge** to be had!"


	103. Chapter 103

_**Chapter One Hundred and Three**_

_When the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! throws a banquet, it's usually fairly good. It's the type of social occasion that would make the editor of any trashy tabloid newspaper faint in delight; if you're somebody, you'll be there ... with a friend. Who's most likely been pictured topless in some magazine somewhere ... but no one cares, and in fact it probably adds to your social standing. _

_On Terra, social standing is EVERYTHING. The higher you are to the Throne, the more income you can devour from the ridiculous amount of money that comes into the Imperial Banks via the tithes set to every world in the Imperium. If you ever wondered what happens to all that money that is paid to the Imperium by every world that swears allegiance to the Aquilla, then here's your answer ..._

_It funds the EMPEROR's love of big parties, with enough bikini-clad chicks to make Hugh Hefner jealous and enough cake to keep _Portal_ players happy for centuries. When the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! throws a party; it's an AWESOME party. _

**Arthas/The Lich King: **"Nice party, Tracy!"

_Didn't I just say that?_

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Course it is; it's MY party! Sit back and relax! You're in my capable hands for an evening's entertainment. Want a bunny-girl? Had them imported from Ivalice!" _[Author's Note: Ivalice is the setting for _Final Fantasy XII _(and others), which has __**literal**__ bunny girls. Go figure]_

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "No thanks, I've just eaten. So ... how much did this all cost?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Twelve sectors! What are they going to do with the money? Sustain their populations and provide them with adequate education and healthcare? What a joke!"

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "Quite, why bother trying to keep them alive when you have us?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"That's the idea – need some undead legions to do my bidding, like die horribly in my name (again)"

**Arthas/The Lich King: **"Quite, a sensible desire ... say ... is your bunny-girl feeling well?"

_The EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Regards the bunny girl as she keels over and crumples to the floor. He pokes her with his foot._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Looks dead ... hey! You can demonstrate your talents! It'll be ... hey ... what's going on?"

_He stands in amazement as slowly, one by one, everyone around begins choking and falling to the floor, vomiting blood and the odd internal organ as they do so. Eventually the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Stands alone with Dorn, Hecate, Horus, and the three Necromancers ... and Malcador._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Shit ... was it something they ate? Malc, did you check the food had passed its Adeptus Agricultura safety regulations?"

**Malcador:** "I double-checked, my lord. It must have been poisoned"

**Hecate:** "Gee ... I wonder who did that. I notice our 'guests' are still standing"

**Nagash:** "Arth, do you think it's worth pretending to cough up our own intestines like these pathetic extras? Or shall we just skip to the part where we kick these fools' asses?"

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "I like the ass-kicking part best" _He clicks his fingers, and the hundreds of dead party guests around slowly drag themselves to their feet. 'Brains' are probably moaned by a few. _

**Hecate:** "What the hell is this witchcraft?"

**Alexia:** "We're **necromancers **you stupid bitch" _Draws her token MAGIC SWORD, which glows with unholy energies (probably got some cool Enhancement from her guild or something)._

**Dorn:** "Wow ... I so totally **did not** see this all coming ... that was sarcasm, by the way"

**Hecate:** "We noticed ... damn, and I left all my armour and weapons in the chapel"

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "But you are wearing a rather stunning dress, my dear. Pity I'm going to have to ruin it with your blood, but that's what happens when your unfortunately considerable natural Primarch resistance to toxins prevents us from killing you in a more non-violent method, as we did to our now undying legion"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You **poisoned** my guests! How the hell am I going to find replacements? FHM material doesn't grow on trees, you know ... yet (my scientists are hard at work on that)"

**Dorn:**_ Like Hecate, has realised he has left all his armour and weaponry somewhere other than the high-class party he was currently enjoying (but he does look good in a suit, it should be mentioned) "_So you've got yourself a bunch of attractive undead soldiers, what's your next step ... er ... you bastards"

**Nagash:** "These guests are just the beginning! As we speak promotional vans for _McDonalds _are spreading our contagion across Terra. Soon all will die and rise as part of our necromantic army! The Scourge will have **nothing** on this!"

**Horus:** _Sighing, reaches over to the table beside him and picks up those little sausages on cocktails sticks. Eating the sausages, he grins._ "Nice plan. One small flaw though ..."

**Arthas/The Lich King:** _Raises one Blizzard-crafted eyebrow (far larger than it should be) "_Oh?"

**Horus:** "I'm your opponent" _With one flick of a wrist, he sends the cocktail sticks hurtling outwards towards the necromancers, who dive out of the way. The cocktail sticks plough through dozens of undead warriors, causing heads to explode with the sheer kinetic force Horus applied to them. _"And Gal and Hec aren't too shabby either!"

**Hecate:** "Damn straight" _Does a roundhouse kick, sending her sharp high-heel shoes flying out at the necromancers. One shoe slices off Alexia's arm, before going on to punch through several undead warriors behind her._

**Dorn:** "Don't call me Gal, Horus" _Picks up the buffet table and starts playing golf, with the undead warriors replacing those little white balls. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You chose the **wrong** party to crash with your back-stabbing crap! And I served you **coffee!** My best coffee! REJECTED!!"

**Nagash:** "COUNTER-REJECTION!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"WHAT THE HELL?!? YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!"

**Nagash:** _In all his towering, warpstone-enhanced presence._ "I just did"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Using all of his awesome might to restrain himself._ "No ... one ... counter ... rejects ... **me**!!"

**Nagash:** "What's the matter? Upset now you're not the biggest fish in the pond? Legions of the dead – att-"

_The doors to the room ... don't burst open. C'tan don't open doors, they fly through them._

**Deceiver:** "Which one of you bastards are disgracing the McDonald's name? Do you have any idea how hard I've worked to improve our image? Now you pull off this 'Scourge-infected cheeseburger' crap!"

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "What the hell?!?"

**Nightbringer:** "Do I smell the horrifying stench of FAIL? Oh ... hi Arthas"

**Void Dragon:** "Wow, hundreds of undead Playboy bunnies and three necromancers ... my enemy gets to recycle its forces! This could be fun ..." _Huge grin materialises on its YET UNDECEIDED FACE._

**Outsider:** "Where's my cake? I want cake!"

**Void Dragon:** "The cake is a lie OS. In the grim darkness of the far future, there is no cake ... only an obscene level of ass-kicking!"

**Deceiver**:_Flexing his muscles ... well his necrodermis anyway._ "Time to lay down the law. You mess with one of us, you mess with **all** of us. Right Tracy?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"This would all be rather awesome and all that ... if you **weren't **wearing McDonald's staff uniforms ..."

**Deceiver:** "... but the colour brings out the highlights in my eyes-"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Just stop talking ..."


	104. Chapter 104

_**Chapter One Hundred and Four**_

_Before the arrival of _Apocalypse,_ large-scale battles in the forty-first millennium were harsh, brutal affairs, yet still restrained by the cosmic force known as Game Balance. The two (and it was always two, as the universe raised too many issues with the laws of physics and such when a third side was added to the equation) sides were always equal in strength and ability, and the fighting would last for days. _

_Then some bright imperial commander realised that if he took certain selections on the Adeptus-approved Force Organisation Chart (That ever-helpful aid for the average Imperial commander, who's total IQ would struggle to beat the points cost of a Grot) his force, while supposedly equal in power to his opponent, would never the less usually wipe the floor with them. _

_The Eldar then revealed they've been doing that for millennia with Starcannon spamming, and the Conclave of Chapter Masters released previously classified documents detailing the utter destruction of over ten thousand chapters by excessive use of AP2 weaponry. Apparently the finest of the Imperium weren't so fine after all, and Space Marines have not been viewed in the same mythical light ever since. _

_The cosmic force of Game Balance was in disarray; combat was no longer a fair ordeal for both sides. Now one could tailor their forces to combat the enemy, and Tyranids ran from cheap Heavy Bolter swarms, until they released they could field more Carnifexes than previously thought._

_Into this maelstrom of tournament-bred combat strolled the _Apocalypse _expansion, and suddenly warfare on a truly immense scale was a thing to discuss beforehand, with both sides agreeing on forces taken, datasheets used, Strategic Assets chosen, and whether or not they could have the Land Raider 'count as' a Baneblade. Mass genocide could be conducted with a civilised manner, and war was once again the domain of gentlemen ..._

**Vulcan:** _Taking his sweet time on an immense cigar. _"So you're taking the Green Tide then?"

**Garlock:** _Enjoying an even larger cigar._ "Aye, iz good sheet wid space fer me boyz"

**Vulcan:** _Shifting position, with the cigar in his mouth having double in size since we last noticed. _"Very well, I shall enjoy the benefits of a Titanhammer datsheet"

**Garlock:** _His cigar also doubled in size._ "I fert tha woz fer Imperial 'ists only?"

**Vulcan:** _Cigar larger still._ "No, it may be taken by anyone, and I have decided to take it. What about you Khan?"

**Khan:** _A huge pipe protruding from his mouth, emitting enough smoke to protect a Rhino. penetrating gaze_

**Vulcan:** "He will simply take many bike squads"

**Garlock:** _His cigar now large enough to encompass most of the world's production of tobacco. _"Then itz agreed! TO WAR!!!"

**Vulcan:** "Excellent. Now roll for first turn ..."

_The crucial dice-rolling is interrupted by the arrival of Grotmina, who appears to be somewhat panicked. _

**Grotmina:** "My lord! My lord!"

**Garlock:** "Wat? Cant you seez me iz trying to roll a dice ere?"

**Grotmina:** "Er, it's 'die', and I apologise for the interruption, but out eastern scouts have detected a large body of unidentified individuals moving in a direction towards our current position"

**Garlock:** _Whirls around to face Vulkan, Khan, and their selected generals._ "Youz sneaky gits! Youz not supposed to start now! Iz these scouts or infiltrators?"

**Vulcan:** "They're not ours! We don't have any forces there!"

**Khan:** _Penetrating Gaze?_

**Garlock:** "Iyz believez youz ... youz men of **honour!** Wit a 'u', witz iz extra honourable! Grot! Get me thoz eastern scoutz on the linez!"

**Grotmina:** _Holds up a large collection of various bits of metal stapled together and bound up in duct tape. _"Here sir. Remember: believe, and it shall work. There **is** a spoon"

**Garlock:** _Taking the jumbled mess of metal._ "Shut it with you and youz spoon. Hey? Iz dis ter eastern scouts of mine?"

_Static hisses, then eventually ..._

**Eastern Kommando:** "Yes sir, reporting for duty sir"

**Garlock:** "Bloody hell! That's good quality! Youz iz sounding loud and clear!"

**Eastern Kommando:** "That's because I'm standing right next to you sir"

_We pull back the camera to see that, indeed, the Eastern Kommando is standing right next to Garlock. _

**Garlock:** "What you doing ere? Youz is supposed to be on the eastern front!"

**Eastern Kommando:** "Yes sir ... this **is** the eastern front"

**Garlock:** "Oh, soz that means ..."

**Vulcan:** "Oh ..." _Flicks on the communication unit embedded in his jaw. _"Chuck? What's going on?"

**Norris:** "You gotta see this sir! I've never seen anything like it! It's Eldar sir! And they've brought Starcannons! **Lots** of Starcannons!"

**Vulcan:** "Pretend you get Invulnerable Saves. I'll be with you in a moment" _Flicks off the communication device. _"I'm sorry Garlock, but do you mind if we joined forces to defeat this sudden arrival of pesky pointy-eared bastards? Alas the game can only reliably support two players ..."

**Garlock:** "Yeahz ... wez settle dis score when we finish crumping some pointy-earz!"

**Vulcan:** "Excellent! Then it's decided-"

**THE VOICE:** "NOTHING IS DECIDED, ALL IS SPONTANEOUS; WRITTEN WITHOUT THOUGHT FOR CONSEQUENCES AND REPERCUSSIONS. BOW BEFORE THE ENEVITABLE, AND SURRENDER YOUR PERSONALITIES"

**Vulcan:** "Who the hell was that?"

**Captain L Jackson:** "My lord Vulcan? I'm receiving reports of a large Titan-sized vehicle moving behind the approaching Eldar lines. We've yet to identify it – it conforms to no known AdMech-approved vehicle designs"

**Vulcan:** "That doesn't mean much. What do the AdMech know anyway?"

**Captain L Jackson:** "They can run Karazhan in fifteen minutes"

**Vulcan:** "Bastards"

**THE VOICE:** "SURRENDER, AND YOU SHALL KNOW PEACE. RESIST, AND YOU SHALL KNOW FEAR"

**Vulcan:** "They obviously haven't heard of Space Marines. What don't we know guys?"

**Captain L Jackson:** "Fear sir. I looked it up once. It's a concept full of fail and I want nothing to do with it"

**Vulcan:** "Well said. You, Garlock?"

**Garlock:** "What's dis 'fear' thing? Is dat a stoopid ummie concept?"

**Vulcan:** "Yes it is, and we're trying very hard to ignore it utterly. Notice how prolific Fearless is in the current metagame?"

**Khan:** "Who is this enemy that speaks to us?"

**THE VOICE:** "I AM FAILURE. I AM DETRIMENT. I AM THAT WHICH ALL FEAR, THAT WHICH ALL SEEK TO REMOVE THROUGH FORUM DISCUSSIONS AND PROLIFIC FAN FICTION. I AM THE PLOT HOLE THAT LIES JUST BEYOND THIS TWIST IN THE TALE. I AM THE CHARACTER DERAILMENT THAT HANDS INTELLIGENT PEOPLE THE IDIOT BALL. I AM THE WALL BANGER THAT RUINS YOUR FICTIONAL EXPERIENCE. I AM THE DESTROYER OF FICTION, DEVOURER OF WORLDS. I AM HE THAT MAKES NO SENSE!"

**Vulcan:** "Duly noted. Now we're going to have to kick your ass"


	105. Chapter 105

_**Chapter One Hundred and Five**_

_For many years the common gamer believed them extinct; lost and forgotten. Eaten by Tyranids. For the Squats, however, they merely sought alternative avenues of employment instead of endless, pointless, and (to be frank) expensive warfare. Their choice of employment? Rebuilding all the crap that the other races blow up in the name of keeping the tag-line alive._

_It is to the galactic north of the Eye of Terror (essentially 'up' on the two-page spread in the BGB) that we now find ourselves. Several giant hulks of rock drift in the darkness of space, tied together by endless miles of scaffolding and construction equipment. A large banner hangs still in the void of space nearby proclaiming 'SQUAT CONSTRUCTION INC. RING 3825 968 537847 for details!'_

_Within this mass of construction lies the space hulk formally known as The Rock (unfortunately Sean Connery is nowhere to be seen). On top of this asteroid is the Tower of Angels, at the highest point is situated Lion El'jonson's throne room ..._

**Lion:** "Let me establish that I understand what you've just been saying correctly; you say you're going to have to increase the deadline **again**?"

**Squat Overseer:** _Puffs on his pipe in a nonchalant manner._ "Aye. 'tis unfortunate, but necessary. The planet's gonna need more work an I canna meet the deadline with what we need to do to do a good job"

**Lion:** _Sighs._ "And this, I assume, will increase the already considerable cost of the project?"

**Squat Overseer:** _Puff, puff._ "Most likely ..."

**Lion:** _Another large sigh._ "Very well. Continue with your work, Overseer"

_The Squat Overseer throws a stylish salute, then waddles off exiting the Lion's throne room along with the close drinking buddies he brought with him. After they leave, a gaunt, pale figure leaves the darkness and moves slowly up to Lion's side._

**Luther:** "You did not command them to increase productivity? Argue violently? Or at least raise your voice and scowl in a mildly threatening manner? Time has softened you Lion ... that ... or her" _He stares in mild disapproval at the petite figure dressed in various shades of pink seated to the Lion's left. _"I know it seems to be a fad amongst your brothers to obtain significant others from outside the franchise ... but **her**?"

**Aerith:** "Thank you Luthor. I realise you have suppressed issues against the Lion, mainly born from your feelings of jealousy and inadequacy ... it's OK to admit them in stirring scenes accompanied by touching music that may or may not include lyrics sung in Japanese. It'll make you a better man"

**Luther:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "Are you really that stupid? Or is it the flanderization born from countless bad fan fiction that's talking?"

**Aerith:** "I like pink ... and clouds ... clouds are sweet ... oh my god it's happening again" _Gets up_. "Must purge myself of all thoughts born from lonely mid-teen Japanese school girls by watching Quentin Tarantino movies. I'll see you later dear" _Runs off beating her head._

**Luther:** "Wow ... congratulations on finding someone as ****ed up as you, my lord"

**Lion:** "Yes ... she is something ... as emotionally complex as I ... and the last of her kind, as me"

**Luther:** _Frowns._ "You're not the last of your kind – you've got twenty siblings!"

**Lion:** "None of them count. They lack the complex characterisation and deep personality that I have been blessed ... or perhaps cursed with. The troubles of being one of the best-written Primarchs ..."

**Luther:** _Rolls his eyes._ "Yeah, that again. I think you're letting the fact you are the only Primarch whose Legion has an entire Codex all to themselves go to your head" _[Author's Note: In case you think I'm forgetting about Space Wolves, last I looked it was no longer on the shelves]_

**Lion:** "I am Games Workshop's favourite. Every store has one of my devoted fans amongst it's staff!"_ [Author's Note: This is scarily true. I've yet to see this proved wrong] _"Yet I am troubled, for my awesomeness is as much a curse as it is a blessing ..."

**Luther:** "Oh woe is you ..." _He rolls his eyes again._ "How about we drown those infinite sorrows in a pint or two?"

**Lion:** "You know what happened last time?"

**Luther:** "That was an accident. I doubt it'll happen again. Besides, you've got your Mary Sue girlfriend to keep an eye on you this time. Plus we've got these cool Watchers to help" _He gestures around at the small little robed critters that hover near the edges of the shadows and look ominous. _

**Lion: **"They're Moogles"

**Luther:** "Argh! Kill them all!" _Pulls out a Boltgun on a stick._ "They are small and annoying, and must be cleansed with holy bolt round and blessed Emperor-approved gratuitous violence"

_**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **__"Indeed, I do approve of gratuitous violence conducted in my name!"_

**Lion:** "Put that gun away Luther. I didn't slap you out of that millennia-long hangover of yours just so you could put bullet holes in my Watchers. Remember; they've helped the chapter since the first days of its existence, possibly before (fluff is hazy)! They small and useful, which they can't be when you slam some hydrogen filled bolt rounds into them!"

**Luther:** "I thought bolt rounds had depleted deuterium?"

**Supreme Grand Master Azrael: **_Striding into the throne room with all the arrogance and superiority only a named special character can possess, a black armoured marine walking calmly beside. _"That **is** hydrogen you fool! Which you would know if you paid attention in basic chemistry and not spent the time organising the Watchers to stand discretely in specific places holding mirrors just so you could see up the teacher's skirt!"

**Luther:** "How the hell do you know about that?"

**Lion:** "I told him" _Luther throws him a hurtful look_. "Hey, I was with the guys at the pub ... we were drinking ... getting to know each other ... and it just kinda slipped out ..."

**Luther:** "You hurt me again Lion ... just like when you didn't let me have some fun in the Crusade"

**Lion:** "Oh we're not bringing that up again, are we?"

**Azrael:** "I hate to interrupt this touching moment of comrade, but I **must** protest, my lord! Why is **he **here?" _Points the finger at the black armoured individual who entered the room with him. _

**Cypher:** "Because I'm awesome ... and you're not"

**Lion:** "Cypher is here because of the invaluable help during the summer campaign ... which I did not see **you** participate in Azrael ..."

**Azrael:** "I was there! I may not have done much ... but I **was** there!" _Again, the finger points._ "This individual is a dirty traitor!"

**Cypher:** "Am I?"

_Insert dun, dun __**dunnn**__ if you feel like it, as we leave the throne room and head downwards ... down the spire ... down to the living quarters of those the chapter likes best. One of which is the little flower seller who got lost on the way out of _Final Fantasy VII_ after having a bridge dropped on her ... or rather an angry katana-wielding piece of an alien intelligence in the guise of an angry bishonen soldier/genetic experiment gone wonderfully wrong. _

_Aerith's room is full of flowers and pink pretty things, and posters of popular J-pop bands. Lots of plushies garnered from various popular animated series populate the shelves and tops of drawers, with a small army having conquered the bed (single, not double). It's unbearably cute, and I feel like vomiting just describing it ..._

**Aerith:** _Dancing around the room with Lion-kun, a plushie version of Lion El'jonson._ "Soon, soon we will be together. You and me, Lion-kun ... without that nasty **grim'n'dark** crap ... just you ... me ... some Moogles ... and **CUTE!**"

_Music starts, the disco lights switch on, cue J-pop ..._

_**Aeirth:**__ "Kawaii desu,_  
_kawaii desu,_  
_I wanna love my kawaii desu,_  
_with love heart in my head,_  
_and your heart in hand,_  
_fly through pink sky,_  
_endless fields of loves ..."_

_She finishes this abysmal song, full of Engrish and FAIL, with a burst of maniacal laughter._

**Aerith:** "The advent of **cute** approaches! In the bright light of the far future, there will be only **CUTE!!** SUPER KAWAII TO THE POWER TEN!!"

_We cut back to the throne room:_

**Cypher:** "Do you get that feeling something horrible is about to happen?"

**Azrael:** "Yeah, I'm going to kick your Fallen ass if you don't shut it!"


	106. Chapter 106

_**Chapter One Hundred and Six**_

_The Adepts of Terra enjoy a peaceful life tending to the unholy amount of paperwork a galactic empire generates every minute. Simple of mind, they enjoy nothing more than checking date stamps, and whether this appeal by Planet 2789 for the Imperial Guard to save them from marauding Orks should be sent to the Oh God Save Us Department, or the Let The Suckers Die Department. This is a process that normally takes several years, after which another decade is spent asking for the appropriate rubber ink stamp to be sent up from those bastards in the department below who are probably using it on each other's foreheads. _

_In short, they live a life devoid of excitement, which is probably why the Black Library has never written a book about them. However, I am a kind and considerate author who desires to include everyone in this parody, which I why this chapter is dedicated to them; these unsung heroes of the Imperium ..._

**Adept:** "And to celebrate, I will stamp Tithe Reclamation Form No. 67,797,789 with the Rubber Stamp of His Divine Will, and sing the 678th Hymn of Paperwork Done Correct to the Desire of the God-Emperor, Blessed Be His Name And All That He Does is Win and Awesome ... wait ... I don't feel so good ... is it that McDonald's takeaway? ... Oh dear ..." _Dies and a second later crawls to his feet as a zombie._

_... I kid. Who gives a **** about these guys?_

_Suffice to say that the infected food quickly spread throughout the hungry populace of Terra, and the billions of pilgrims that arrive every day to say hi to the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! In short order, a massive undead army assaults the Imperial Palace. Luckily, the Custodes prefer Pizza Hut ..._

**Captain Maximus Violence:** _Striding through the corridors of the palace with immense purpose. _"What's the numbers of the undead force?"

**Captain Spiral Kamina:** _Unsheathing a wicked-looking katana with an Assault Cannon strapped to one end (the blunt one). _"According to our brothers observing the horde's advance, they number in the billions"

**Captain Kratos Spartus:** "Excellent. For a moment there I feared I would be occupied for more than an hour" _Hefts a huge double-bladed Nemesis mega force weapon on his shoulder._ "With those numbers we can finish in time for 'Happy Hour' at the Bolter & Chainsword"

**Spiral:**_ Slightly confused. "_The forum?"

**Kratos:** "The pub you idiot"

**Maximus:** "It's arranged then. Less talk; it occupies valuable ass-kicking time" _They enter the main chambers of the Emperor, finding it empty save for the might leader of men and his personal assistant, Malcador._ "My lord? Where are the traitorous Necromancers?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"They ran like little girls. I have Horus and Hecate in persuit. Dorn's awaiting your arrival at the gates" _He sighs._ "Guess it's time to get out of this chair and do something" _Straining with the energy, he slowly rises to his aged feet. _"My sword, Malc?"

_Malcador hands the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! A fiery sword. As his hands clasp the burning metal, the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Seems to grow younger. His body bulges with more muscles than in the entirety of _300_. He swings the sword around his head, and slams it into the ground. On the other side of Terra the ground explodes outwards with the force of a thermonuclear bomb. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"A bit rusty ... but not too bad ... so? How about we skip to the part where we go outside and unleash hell?"

**Maximus:** "I was just about to suggest that, my lord" _Unsheathe his own weapon, a seemingly normal-looking Nemesis force weapon with a strange device on the end just above the blade. _"Can't have us remain a mysterious background entity while the crappy 'normal' Astartes get all the action"

**Malcador:** "I tried, but they insisted you're too broken to be fielded as an army"

**Maximus:** _Laughs._ "I would say they lack balls, but then I'll just sound like a Privateer Press fanboy ..."

**Spiral:** "Don't we eat them for breakfast?"

**Kratos:** _Fiddles with his teeth._ "Think I've still got a piece of one stuck here ..."

**Malcador:** "Clean your teeth before the EMPEROR OF MANKIND!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Chewing on some KFC with his mouth open._ "Wa wu at?"

**Malcador:** _Sighs._ "Nothing, my lord"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Swallowing the chicken whole._ "Kratos, is that a Vulcan Mega Bolter?"

**Kratos:** _Trying to hide the gargantuan device behind his back._ "Er ... it might be ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I approve; carry on"

**Malcador:** "My lord?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Damn straight" _Presses a button on the hilt of his sword, the flames change to a deep red._ "Shades?"

**Malcador:** _Holding a velvet pillow with the Imperial Sunglasses of +100 Awesome. _"Here, my lord"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Putting on the shades, and enjoying the stat boost._ "How do I look?"

**Malcador:** "A kicker of asses, my lord"

**Hecate:**_Walking into the room._ "Mildly imposing, dad"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Where's the necromancers?"

**Horus:** _Appearing beside his sister, looking quite irritated._ "They escaped"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"How the hell did they manage that?"

**Horus:** "Plot hole"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Damn devilish of them. Looks like we're facing plot continuity error users folks! Remember your narrative structures! Kick ass, and watch your grammar!"

**Spiral:** "Go beyond the impossible, and kick reason to the curb!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "And if you can do that while watching your prose, ever the better!"

**Horus:** "ENOUGH TALK! Those bastards have already embarrassed me today! I want gruesome carnage to make me feel better!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Throws Horus what could only be described as a small Titan close combat weapon._ "Lets go have some fun"

**Horus:** "Thank the gods ... that dinner party was **pissing me off**"

**Hecate:** "Might want to keep your distance ... that necromancer bitch said this dress made me look fat"

_Everyone stands on the other side of the throne room, including the EMPEROR OF MANKIND!_

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Hecate; you take the south gate. Horus; you go take the north gate. Dorn is watching the west gate, so that leaves me the east gate. C'mon guys, follow me"

_The EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Walks out with his personal bodyguards. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Remember guys, if you look bad **I **look bad. So try not to look bad, OK?"

**Maximus:** "Is it genetically possible for us to look bad?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Course not; cut you open and look at your DNA and it spells BADASS repeatedly over and over. I just felt like stating the obvious. Now ..."

_They exit to the east gate. As they mount the battlements they observe the millions of undead civilians shambling their way. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Pulls out his Nintendo DS. _"You guys have until I complete the hardest sudoku puzzle known to man to kill them all"

**Maximus:** "So ... five minutes?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Pft ... four"

**Maximus:** "We'll do it in three-" _Kratos loudly clears his throat._ "-sorry, two"


	107. Chapter 107

_**Chapter One Hundred and Seven**_

_Zombies are interesting creatures – technically dead, yet they obey a fair number of the generally agreed characteristics of live. They move; animated by the strange magic and/or plot device that has given rise to their existence. They eat; all zombies requires living flesh, for some strange reason. One has to wonder why this is -surely zombie digestive systems are decaying and inoperative? Where does all this brain matter go when a zombie chomps it down? Is this why a zombie is never satisfied? If all they eat keeps falling out of their decaying stomachs, then a zombie's appetite is never satisfied! After sustenance, we come to reproduction; zombie reproduce by spreading their 'undeath' to those they injure, often via a bite (which begs the question – why is undeath contagious via bodily fluids?). _

_So what do zombies ignore? Zombies don't breath; being dead it's quite likely that the synaptic response needed to inflate the lungs no longer happens. However zombies move, which requires operational muscles, which offers no reason why lungs could not work. The only reason why zombies could not breath is because their circulatory system no longer functions. The heart, while it may possibly pump, no longer moves fresh, living blood but dead sludge. Zombies don't excrete; they don't release matter they don't need from what they eat. _

_So, what is a zombie? Chainsaw-fodder; that is what a zombie is._

**Falal:** _Calling from the bedroom next door to the private study of Magnus the Red. _"Magnus? What are you doing?"

_Inside the study, sitting at a table cluttered with various unfinished characters and calculations for the perfect greataxe crit, Magnus the Red sits writing._

**Magnus:** _Pauses after finishing that sentence and frowns, deep in thought._ "Writing an essay on the nature of zombies"

**Falal:** "That's adorable in a very geeky way, but I **would** like to have some hot sex right now!"

**Magnus:** "Hmm ... conflict of interests ..."

_As the inner debate rages within Magnus' mind, a spiral of warp energy slowly rises from the floor beside him and collates into the form of Ahriman._

**Ahriman:** "Erm ... am I interrupting anything?"

**Magnus:** "Would zombies enjoy ice cream? Give me your honest answer"

**Ahriman:** "Could I leave that for a more comfortable moment when the entirety of the Space Wolves chapter hasn't parked itself in front of the Cadian Gate demanding your head on an appropriately-sized pike?"

**Magnus:** _Frowns._ "What have I done now? I haven't featured in a _Space Wolf_ novel since ... well they stopped being written by a competent author ... what does Russ want now?"

**Ahriman:** "Er ... your head on an appropriately-sized pike; he claims you stole a spear of his"

**Magnus:** "The Dawnlight?"

**Ahriman:** "That's a sword sir, and he's definitely got it"

**Magnus:** "How do you know?"

**Ahriman:** "He hit me with it when I attempted to try what you suggested in times like these ... sensible diplomatic negotiations"

**Magnus:** "How I long for the day when combat is fought only on tables ... and real wars are won with expert knowledge of the spoken word, and how best to maximise the benefits of Two-Weapon Fighting with Necrotic weapons"

**Ahriman:** "I'm sure in some part of your obviously vast and complex mind, that previous sentence would have made perfect sense. However I have absolutely no idea what you just said. Past conversations with Harlequins made more sense"

**Magnus:** "You know Harlequins?"

**Ahriman:** "Intimately. I've been fighting against this one particular troupe for several millennia, and during our frequent spectacular fights we got to know each other pretty well. There's only a certain amount of war one can wage before it all starts becoming rather boring ... so we talked as we traded blows, bolts, and sorcerous energies conjured from the dark depths of the warp"

**Magnus:** "What about?"

**Ahriman:** "Oh, the usual: likes, dislikes, personal hobbies, significant other halves that are causing you hassle but you love them anyway despite never ceasing to bitch about them ... and _Star Wars_. They love _Star Wars_; the Greater Harlequin has a Darth Vader costume he goes to conventions in, and sometimes major battlefields if he's feeling bored. His girlfriend dresses in Leia's slave outfit when she performs the role of Slaanesh at their performances. She's actually quite talented ... but she's a little odd ... she's a Solitaire ... and they're kinda ... well ... you know"

**Magnus:** "Odd?"

**Ahriman:** "That'll do. So I got to know them, then they invited me and my cabal round for some drinks after each of our major confrontations ... so I invited them round my cruiser ... then the guys and I went to their performances ... before I knew it we were giving each other manicures and sharing gossip while watching _Sex and the City_"

**Magnus:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "Anything you want to declare, Ahriman?"

**Ahriman:** "... I feel more comfortable in women's clothing ... will this affect any future recommendations?"

**Magnus:** _Pauses for a moment._ "Probably not ... anything else?"

**Ahriman:** "Can I have next Wednesday off? The guy's are doing a performance at Iyanden ..."

**Magnus:** "Sure. What were you saying?"

**Ahriman:** "Oh, the Space Wolf fleet is parked outside the only apparent exit from the Eye of Terror in any of the three dimensions our universe occupies demanding your head-"

**Magnus:** "On an appropriately-sized pike ... yeah, I got that. Tell Russ I'm too busy getting more action than he is to come out and play blood-feud again"

**Ahriman:** "Do you think that's wise?"

**Magnus:** "Would you rather me go out and get my back broken **again**? For the second time-"

**Ahriman:** "My apologies-"

**Magnus:** "-today!"

**Ahriman:** "-... wait **what**?"

**Magnus:** "... I probably shouldn't have mentioned that ... can you forget it?"

**Ahriman:** "I wish I could ... wait I've found the spell" _The image blurs for a second._ "Sorry ... what were you saying?"

**Magnus:** "Nothing of importance"

**Falal:** "MAGNUS!!"

**Magnus:** "Must go; semi-deity significant other half is calling and wants attention"

**Ahriman:** "Have fun, shall I provide the usual excuse to Russ?"

**Magnus:** "What's the usual excuse?"

**Ahriman:** "You're a wimp?"

**Magnus:** _Pauses for a moment._ "Try the other one"

**Ahriman:** "You're too busy concentrating on a spell of epic proportions to do anything harder than blink?"

**Magnus:** "Don't we have anything that paints me as somewhat tough and competent, and **not** a complete wuss?"

**Ahriman:** "... would you expect 'no' as an answer?"

**Magnus:** "No"

**Ahriman:** "Figures ..."

**Magnus:** "I trust you to think of something, no go before Falal gets frustrated and takes her sex-starved-fuelled anger out on the universe as a whole"

**Ahriman:** "Fun ... say ... what actually **happened** this chapter?"

**Magnus:** "Hmm ... I do believe we've suffered a rare case of PRIMARCHS **filler**"

**Ahriman:** "... I swear if the 'curry of life' appears ..."


	108. Chapter 108

_**Chapter One Hundred and Eight**_

"_Someone once asked me 'Isn't it a little ironic that you're running KFC'? I told them 'I have no idea what you're on about – go look up the definition of 'irony' again, fool'. Honestly, some people ..." - Anghkor Prok_

_Several years after the end of the epic summer campaign, which saw the defeat of the C'tan and the re-write of the entire 40k franchise to something more GRIMNDARK, our heroes have been disturbed from the laurels they rest upon by the arrival of an ancient horror from beyond the dawn of time (or modern fiction, at any rate) – the PLOT HOLE. Heralding its arrival are survivors from the last universe it mercilessly devoured, leaving a franchise filled with continuity errors and huge gaps of logic; the universe of _Warcraft!

_As our heroes begin to awaken to the power of this new enemy, a series of seemingly unconnected events occur across the galaxy: Terra is laid siege by an undead force created by a trio of powerful necromancers from the poisoned populace. Ferrus loses an Imperator Titan, only for Perturabo and Angron to discover it in the hands of the newly-formed WAAAGHorde, led by the combined might of Thrall and Thraka. Corax discovers the important of rum. Russ discovers a missing spear, and blames Magnus while the actual culprit (Jaina Proudmore) teams up with Alpharius, Mephiston, and that Eldar Farseer chick from Dark Crusade. Meanwhile, the combined forces of Vulkan, Khan, and Garlock the Ork face off against the first advance of the armies of the PLOT HOLE!_

**Tzeentch**:"So ... the intro text is back? We've got a storyline that needs it again?"

**Khorne:** "No, some of us just don't have the mind or the memory to keep track of half-a-dozen plot threads all at the same time spaced over the week. **Most** of us also don't like having to page back through the thread to find out what's going on, who's this person, and why the ring on her left finger is so damn important ..."

**Tzeentch:** "Why **is** it important?"

**Khorne:** "I don't know! I was just making an example! It didn't mean anything! For Christ's sake, now I realise why we've nerfed you for the last umpteen editions ..."

**Tzeentch:** "I've been nerfed? (Who the hell is this 'Christ' bloke?)"

**Khorne:** "Never mind ... now if you excuse me I've got the perfect combination of stomach cramps and a bad mood swing that I **don't** want to waste here on this damn boat reading ****** fantasy. I've got worlds to conquer. Call me back when there's some plot development"

**Tzeentch:** "Wait ... we're on a **boat**?!?"

**Khorne:** "As I said ... some of us don't like paging back to find out what's been going on ... later bitches"

_We leave the avatars of the Gods where they relax upon the cruise ship on the unknown world in the backwater of the Imperium, to focus elsewhere in this galaxy of turmoil and ever-lasting emotional issues settled by protracted warfare. Where certain characters that do not belong in this franchise currently entertain two of our super-Human heroes ..._

**Perturabo:** "The 'WAAAGHorde'?"

**Thrall:** "Well we were going to go for something more civilised and cultured; brimming with honour ... but Ghazghkull here persuaded me that, as Orcs, such matters are simple someone else's problems. What was it you said, Ghaz?"

**Thraka:** "We iz Orkz! We iz made to fight an win!"

**Thrall:** "There, what he said. I find that Ghaz is full of enlightening subjects, and has definitely made me reconsider my previous attitude towards the purpose of my people"

**Perturabo:** "And that is?"

**Thrall:** "We're Orcs ... it's that simple. We're destroyers, ravagers, annihilators of nations and civilisations. We should not concern ourselves with such silly concepts as honour and loyalty. Not when there's destruction on a massive scale to dish out, and if we can look bloody cool while doing it ... then all the more better for us"

**Angron:** "Wow ... five minutes here and your attitude on life has already taken a three-sixty"

**Thraka:** "Good inflooence we iz"

**Perturabo:** "So where did you find this Titan?" _He gestures around the room they sit in, deep within the bowels of the Imperator Titan. It's spacious, even with everyone gathered around the large holo-table in the centre. Someone's seen fit to hang up several banners on the walls, and someone else (although possibly the same person) is busy serving tea._

**Angron:** "Thank you" _Takes a sip._ "Hmm .. herbal ... I feel cultured ..."

**Thrall:** "We found it parked outside the sports stadium where we agreed to meet up after arranging the union on -"

**Angron:** "?"

** – FOR ALL YOUR ORCY NEEDS!**

**Sarah:** "Angron dear, don't encourage the commercials"

** – FOR THOSE WHO LOVE COMMERCIALS, COMMERCIALS, AND MORE COMMERCIALS!!**

**Sarah:** "That's just taking the piss-"

** – FOR-**

**Thrall:** "Lets not go down that road. In answer to your question; we Orcs, no matter where we are, have a common sense of family-"

**Thraka:** "Green iz best!"

**Thrall:** "As my friend here puts it"

**Thraka:** "'cept those gitz from Middel-'erth! Dey iz not Orky!"

**Thrall:** "No, they're rejected pointy-eared twits. Ah! No offence my dear ..."

**Sylvanas:** "None taken ..." _Sips her tea with typical Elven arrogance._

**Perturabo:** "So we're expected to believe that you conveniently 'found' one of the most destructive weapons in the entire Imperium just 'parked' empty, with the keys in the ignition?"

**Thraka:** "Beleev wat you want – dat iz der truth, an we stik with it!"

**Perturabo:** "I'll roll with it ... for the moment. Now tell me – what do plan to accomplish with this god-machine?"

**Thrall:** "We're hoping that this icon of destruction on an unholy scale will inspire the warring clans of the Orks to put aside their differences and unite against the forces of the Plot Hole"

**Perturabo:** "You're planning to **unite** the Orks? You realise what will happen?"

**Thraka:** "It will be a Waaagh! To end all Waaaghs!! Such a massive display of destruction and death will never be equalled!!"

**Angron:** "It'll make the end of _Space Runaway_ _Ideon_ look like a small firecracker ..." _[Author's Note: Ideon (the titular mecha) blew up the universe (sort of)]_

**Thraka:** "Exakly!"

**Perturabo:** "What makes you think it'll be successful? In the entire history of this franchise the Orks have only ever once been united, and that was millions of years ago against the C'tan ..."

**Thraka:** _Grins. _"Follow me"

_He leads them from the room, through the narrow corridors of the Titan, until they reach the observation deck on top of the head. _

**Thraka:** "BEHOLD!!"

_With a massive sweep of his power klaw, Thraka brings to the Primarchs' attention the endless sea of green before them. Countless billions of Orks stand before the Titan; all various sizes and shapes (and some different shades of green to boot!). _

**Perturabo:** "By the gods!"

**Thrall:** "This is just the Warbosses; this is a meeting to decide where to first commit the forces of the WAAAGHorde"

**Angron:** _Grinning._ "This is awesome"

**Perturabo:** "With a force this great ... what are we up against?!?"

**Thrall:** "**Now** you're beginning to see the big picture ..."

**Perturabo:** _Looks back at the billions of Warbosses before him. _"I'm going to need a few more Heavy Support choices ..."


	109. Chapter 109

_**Chapter One Hundred and Nine**_

_It should be noted that Abaddon the Despoiler, Warmaster of Chaos, and General All-round Badass should not, under any circumstances, be confused with Failbaddon. The latter is the unfortunate 'canon' character that populates Games Workship fiction; a hapless loser who's managed thirteen pitiful crusades against the Imperium and managed the sum total of ... nothing ... OK some Blackstone fortresses ... and a headache ..._

_Failbaddon is the guy in the Codex, now __**Abaddon**__ is the guy everyone immediately confuses with Failbaddon when someone asks for that badass former First Captain. __**Abaddon **__is the guy who constantly has to put up with people asking if he's Failbaddon, the individual all laugh at (even Archaeon, who successfully managed to __**not**__ storm anything during the Storm of Chaos). __**Abaddon**__ is somewhat tired of this, as can be expected, and goes to great lengths to ensure people are corrected in their confusion ..._

**Abaddon:** "I **won** the 13th Black Crusade! The votes were in **my** favour!"

_The screen on the bridge of the _Vengeful Spirit III_ crackles, and the image of Logan Grimnar, Great Wolf Lord of the Space Wolves Chapter, laughs._

**Logan:** "Keep telling yerself that laddie! We all know how much FAIL yer are made of! Now if yer just let us pass, we can be on our way to kicking Magnus' ass from her to the Well of Eternity"

**Abaddon:** "Isn't that in Azeroth?"

**Zaraphiston:** _Whispering._ "Apparently we have one too"

**Abaddon:** "When did that happen?"

**Zaraphiston:** "I don't know ... I only just got the memo"

**Abaddon:** _Growling, turns his attention back to the communications screen._ "It'll be a bloody miracle if communication is made reliable round here ... I didn't find out Garviel survived a virus bombing, orbital strikes, a building, and a Titan until recently"

**Garviel:** _Somewhat confused himself._ "Neither did I ..."

**Abaddon:** "So where have you **been** for the last ten thousand years?"

**Garviel:** _He shrugs. _"Plot hole ... I guess"

**Zaraphiston:** "There seems to be a fair number of them around these days. I personally blame the new Heresy fiction-"

**Abaddon:** "**Again?!?** What did it do this time? Rape your wife and set your daughter alight?"

**Zaraphiston:** "No I did that, I just find the books mind-numbingly boring"

**Garviel:** "What do **you** find mentally stimulating then?"

**Zaraphiston:** "_Dune ..._ but not that recent crap by Kevin J Anderson and Frank Herbert's son ..." _[Author's Note: In the rare case that any of you meet me in real life, mark this as one topic __**not**__ to ask my opinion's on ...]_

**Abaddon:** "_Dune_? Full of Fail and Aids ... **now** a real book's-"

**Logan:** _Clears his throat in a very loud manner._

**Abaddon:** "Do you mind? I'm discussing with my Mournival ... now where was I?"

**Logan:** "You do realise I've parked alongside the entire military might of the Space Wolves Chapter? I have enough fire-power to reduce Armageddon to rubble fifty times over!"

**Abaddon:** _Retrieves his remote from inside an armour pocket and presses a small button on it. The Planet Killer appears with the sound that all cars seem to make when someone unlocks them via remote._

**Logan:** "... ah ... touché"

**Abaddon:** "Now ... our book club ..."

**Garviel:** "I like the _Lord of the Rings_ ..."

**Abaddon:** "Oh you **would** ... a good walk spoiled if you ask me ..."

**Zaraphiston:** "Thing I could never understand is if they had those giant flying eagles-"

**Logan:** "**Excuse** me?!?"

**Abaddon:** "Could someone shut him up? I'm trying to have an intellectual debate with my fellow mass-murdering feth-heads about contemporary literature!"

**Thrall:** "We could fire the Planet Killer at him? That should silence the fool"

**Abaddon:** _Casually dismisses Thrall with a wave of his hand._ "Yeah ... whatever you feel. So ... _Harry Potter_?"

**Zaraphiston:** _Makes farting sounds._

**Abaddon:** "Real mature ..."

**Leman Russ:** "OI! EZZIE YER DUMB BASTARD!"

**Abaddon:** "As I was saying ... maturity ..."

**Leman Russ: **_His image dominates the communication screen._ "YOU WILL LET US THROUGH, OR I SWEAR TO THE HOLY SPIRIT OF ALE I WILL **TEAR YOU APART!**"

**Abaddon:** _Turns to the figure behind him._ "What do you want to do?"

**Ahriman:** "I've got an idea"


	110. Chapter 110

_**Chapter One Hundred and Ten**_

_**Erebus: **__'Play Like You've Got a Pair!' – A simple statement, most believe, one describing the need for an overly aggressive style of play, or perhaps a childish attempt to seem more mature a gaming product than certain others that may, or may not, account for over 80% of the table-top gaming market (if biased sources are to be believed). Yet despite this over-analysis, a simple question must be asked: _

_A pair of what?_

_Are we talking testicles here? In which case why is the primary source of male reproductive ability necessary to move small metal miniatures around a table? Testosterone is not a necessary requirement for the operation of muscle tissue either. Perhaps they refer to a different 'pair' in biological terms. Breasts, perhaps? Certainly seeing more of them around the table (the naturally occurring type, not the ones that grow on members of the male gender due to simply eating too much) would be nice, but I doubt that's the intent of Privateer Press here. A pair of eyes? That would certainly come in handy for moving miniatures around a table. A pair of hands? Again, somewhat of a requirement in the table-top gaming scene. _

_However, perhaps we're being too smart here for our own good. Perhaps the real reason is far simpler; maybe the 'pair' they refer to is not biological in nature, but simple a requirement of the game. In which case, may I present, at long last, PP's tagline explained:_

_WARMACHINE – Play Like You've Got a Pair of Dice!_

_Because, after all, two dice is generally all you'll be rolling (not that your dainty WARMACHINE hands could cope with any more. Be real men – play Orks, and roll a bucket of dice across the table)._

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Leans over to get a better look at what Erebus is writing._ "Looks interesting … is it about sex?"

**Erebus:** _Sighs, and gently puts away the ornate quill he was using to record his random thoughts. He turns around in his seat in the arena to look up at the individual he has suffered the misfortune to be placed beside (entirely by random chance, it should be noted)_. "Nothing that concerns you … and no it is **not** about sex … or sexual acts of any description … or indeed advanced foreplay … or social interaction with the intent of initiating foreplay and thus sexual acts of any description … in fact sex is not a factor whatsoever"

**Vect:** "That's because you don't get any, isn't it?"

**Erebus: **"I'm not sure why my generic sexual activity has any bearings whatsoever on this topic of conversation, and frankly I care not where your foul and twisted mind is going with this train of thought. My writings are not for your tainted xenos eyes, nor are my ears for your insane ranting. Cease your blather and return your attention to this pitiful attempt by testicular-obsessed pirate-infatuated Americans at a table-top war game" _He retrieves the quill once again._ "I'm making notes for my Lord Primarch"

**Vect:** _Leans back in his own chair, and the two girls (who are, of course, insanely attractive) that sit either side of him lean over and return to their previous activities. I shall leave that to your own, twisted imaginations._ "Lorgar, right? Family guy; loves to maintain a PG-13 rating on this whole sorry affair of a parody?"

**Erebus:** _Bristles with barely-restrained rage._ "If you could cease describing my Lord Primarch with such ignorant tones …"

**Vect:** "Or you'll what? Sling your two-dimensional personality around like a makeshift rapier and hope you give me a paper-cut of sorts?" _He laughs._ "You're in the wrong type of ball game to challenge me. Tell you what; you strap that pony-tail down so it's not in my line of sight, and I'll pretend I never saw you to begin with. Deal?"

_Erebus hastily ties down his pony tail (which, like all good Chaos Space Marines, is ridiculously long and defies gravity). As Vect turns his attention to the game, the girls turn their attention to something I can't mention (Lorgar is watching me as I type this)-_

_**Lorgar:**__ "Damn straight I am … oh … sorry, that could be misinterpreted to be derogatory to those of a homosexual persuasion … can I re-phrase that last bit?"_

_-Erebus turns his attention to what he has so far written under the guise of 'notations'._

_**Erebus:**__ I encountered a rather disturbing fellow earlier: an iron-clad Lich by the name of Asphyxious who harboured ill intent towards the Primarchs Rogal Dorn, Perturabo, and Corax. He mentioned something about suffering defeat at their hands many years ago during the summer campaign crisis (which I did not see, having suffered a bad case of Narrative Existence Failure). He seemed quite insistent on explaining to me the revenge he hoped he would soon be enjoying, all thanks to a certain 'Remlaan Rett'; an envoy of a great power that would soon be sweeping change throughout the universe. I thought 'change' was the job description of Magnus' deityfriend*? Must investigate further … possibly after snacks._

_* What do call an individual whose gender alters depending on how he or she feels that day? Such a creature renders the terms 'girlfriend' and 'boyfriend' obsolete. New terminology is needed. This will suffice until modern culture creates a new one …_

**Vect:** "Hey … Mr 'Characterisation-Is-For-Other-People' – stop narrating out loud. Some of us are trying to concentrate on the game here … OOH! That was a foul!"

_The crowd rises up and issues forth a barrage of foul language and disapproving noises as the referee runs into the centre of the arena to show a red card at the offending warjack. The referee is subsequently eviscerated, to the amusement of the crowd who quickly forget what annoyed them to begin with. The game continues, and all return to their seats and carry on chewing down poorly-cooked hot dogs._

**Erebus:** "I have been watching this game now for the last few days … and I still have no idea what the rules are …"

**Vect:** "For ****'s sake man – it's a Privateer Press game. The rules are so simple an autistic Snotling could follow them" _[Author's Note: Ouch … that was harsh]_

**Erebus:** "Are you insulting the intelligence of an Astartes, xenos scum?"

**Vect:** "Keep saying 'xenos scum' over and over and it might dull the pain of the fact that on any given day a decent Dark Eldar army **will** wipe the floor with your MEQ asses"

_Erebus rises in his seat and turns to face the Archeon._

**Erebus:** "SCUM AND FILTH! YOU DARE TAINT THE HOLY ASTARTES WITH YOUR BLASPHEMY?"

_One of the girls Vect is seated with looks up and throws Erebus a dirty look_.

**Iyannna Arienal, Angel of Iyanden:** "Hey, shut up – I'm trying to concentrate. This isn't easy you know?"

**Erebus:** _Throws a disgusted look._ "What the **hell** are you doing?"

**Vect:** "What does it look like? They're levelling up their Pokemon … heh, **** yeah – Seaking!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "So I heard you like Mudkips?"

_Vect turns around and grins as the Primarch of the Iron Hands moves lesser mortals aside to seat himself down behind the Eldar ruler. _

**Ferrus Manus:** "How's it going Az?"

**Vect:** "Not too shabby. Yourself? Hey, what's this I hear about you losing an Imperator Titan?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Makes a face._ "Don't … I've already had the astropathic speech from dad about it. Something about 'responsibility' and 'looking after critical components of the Imperial war machine' and 'I don't even **own** the bloody thing – it's AdMech property!' … frankly I'm tired of it, and I'm tired of **looking** for it"

**Vect:** "Haven't found it?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Can you guess? No …"

**Vect:** "So what brings you here?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "How could I resist the allure of giant, hulking pewter behemoths beating the crap out of each other? Besides … I'm here to take photos to post on /tg/ later so we can all take the piss out of Warmachine players. Should be an epic thread – feel free to post, my fellow Anon"

**Vect:** "Will do, if I tear myself away from 7chan … hey, have you heard the rumours?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Russ wants to bitchslap Magnus across the Eye of Terror?"

**Vect:** "He's got the entire Space Wolf fleet parked outside the Cadian Gate right now. Apparently can't afford the toll gate, so he's just causing as much hassle as possible in the hope they let him through just to shut him up"

**Ferrus Manus:** "When did they install a toll?"

**Vect:** "When someone pointed out how much money they could make from the regularity of Chaos incursions out of the Eye into Imperial territory"

**Erebus:** "Who takes the money from it?"

**Ferrus Manus & Vect:** "Alpharius"

**Vect:** "I swear the guy **will** end up owning half the universe … the other half will end up being Omegon's …"

**Ferrus Manus:** "He's The Man we anarchic Internet-types rally against – the bloated git that owns more than any of us combined and gets to set our tax bills and download bandwidth …"

**Vect:** "He apparently does give a fair amount to charity"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Oh? What charities?"

**Vect:** "The Dan Abnett Appreciation Fund …"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Hmm … I smell a rat here …"

**Erebus:** "Probably me" _Holds out something he had been chewing throughout the last few parts of dialogue._ "Roast rat on a stick, anyone? The Squats insist they're tasty"

**Vect:** "No thanks, I'm not feeling hungry"

_As he speaks a strange figure, glad in heavy robes (as they generally are), glides past the assembled main characters …_

**Robed Figure:** "GM Hint: I would eat the rat if I were you"

_She then disappears into the crowd._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Did she just say 'GM Hint'?"

**Vect:** _Eating a roast rat._ "Prb'ly" _He hands a piece to the girls he's with, who instantly copy their beloved Asdrubael._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Hello, what's this?"

_He points into the arena, as a solitary figure walks out into the middle of violent warjack action. As the metal behemoths near him, they explode into fiery balls of death and destruction, yet the figure continues to walk unscathed. He reaches the centre, and raises his arms amid the smoking remains of the warjack teams who had previously been engaged mid-game. _

**Strange Figure:** "Ladies and gentlemen! May I first apologise for disrupting this game; I'm well aware of how important it was to you!"

**Random Member of the Crowd:** "It was the bloody finals you git!"

**Strange Figure:** "Indeed, I did apologies. Allow me to introduce myself – I am Nagash, and it is my pleasure to welcome you into the fold of my undying hordes. You will shortly discover the unfortunate after-effects of the food the arena staff has been serving you"

_As he speaks the crowds begin to cough and vomit, falling to the ground clutching their throats. After a few moments they rise again, a baleful energy powering their lifeless corpses. All, except Asdrubel Vect, Ariel, the Farseer Macha (the other girl Vect was with), Erebus, and Ferrus Manus._

**Nagash:** _Noticing the figures still standing, alive._ "Ah … it seems we have more fortunate individuals … do I see the Primarch Ferrus Manus?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Er … no … it's his stunt double … Ferrus Manus isn't here. Lastie agreed – don't bother him about it"

**Nagash:** "Nice try. May I extend my welcome to the famed Asdrubael Vect, the infamous Farseer Macha – got any action lately, my dear? – and the Angel of Iyanden herself"

**Erebus:** "Erm?"

**Nagash:** "Oh sorry! I didn't notice you with your side facing me Erebus. You **really are** quite two-dimensional, did anyone ever tell you that?"

**Erebus:** "Haven't we killed this joke already?"

_No, not really._

**Ferrus Manus:** "What have you done Nagash? Kill so many, and now raising their **corpses** as your **personal army?!?** GENIUS!!! Absolute genius!"

**Vect:** "But he stopped the game"

**Ferrus Manus:** "AND HE WILL **DIE!!**" _Pulls out a pimped-up Thunder Hammer with custom-made 80 Thz processor and 300 Gigs of RAM, plus eight-linked graphics drivers and neon strips along the side … even the fans look awesome._

**Vect:** "Dude … that hammer … all right girls. Time to go to work"

**Macha:** "Wonder why we survived"

**Erebus:** "Must have been the rat that mysterious cloaked woman told us to eat ... the Squats apparently smuggled them in and were handing them around to eat instead of the crap the catering staff were selling"

**Ferrus Manus:** "But I didn't eat any rat!"

**Nagash:** "I've already discovered you Primarchs are resistant to the Scourge … unfortunately …"

**Macha:** "So why did the Squats die too? They were eating the same stuff we were!"

**Asphyxious:** "PLOT HOLE!"

_All turn in surprise to view the Iron Lich as he stands atop the giant viewscreen that displays a close-up of Nagash's face on the arena floor below. _

**Nagash:** "Asphyxious!"

**Asphyxious:** "Nagash you magnificent bastard! I read your book!"

**Nagash:** "What the hell are you doing here!"

**Asphyxious:** "You chose that witch instead of me! We could have been a team: you, me, and that Arthas fool, but **no** … you go choosing the breasts instead and I'm left with no one but that token 'Evil Twin' as company"

**Nagash:** "What have you done, Asphyxious?"

**Asphyxious: **"I've joined the true power of the multiverse! Soon, you too will see the great power it wields, and you will also join us … we can be together again Naggy!"

**Nagash:** "Oh great … I've got myself a creepy stalker …"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Wait … so if you're not with the Plot Hole …"

**Asphyxious:** "I am! I aid the Plot Hole, and soon you all shall bow down before its narrative dissonance!"

**Nagash: **"Well I'm not! I serve me, myself, and I only! Undead minions – attack that psycho iron bastard!"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Whispering to the others._ "May I suggest we use this opportunity to escape?"

**Erebus:** "Running away?!? You're a **Primarch**!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Indeed, but I'm not a fool. I know a convenient escape scenario when I see one. Anyone interested in appearing in the next chapter- follow me"

**Vect:** "While I don't usually condone acts of blatant cowardice, I do, however, want to write more books to educate the next generation in the subtle arts of non-consensual seduction … so lead the way my fine man!"

**Erebus:** "I cannot believe we're retreating from battle – let us charge forth into the fray with all the testosterone and badly-worded descriptive sentences of a typical Black Library lore! Let us hear the cry of a chainsaw, the roar of a bolter, the blessed … er … 'squish' of the flesh of our enemy tear asunder from our righteous fury! Let us-"

_Ferrus Manus shoots Erebus in the face with his bolt pistol sidearm. Erebus' face indeed makes a 'squish' sound as the pieces of his skull fly in different directions. _

**Ferrus Manus:** "Anyone want to protest against that?" _A tumble weed blows past in the silence that follows. _"I thought not – right, let us move … in the opposite direction to our enemy"

_They quietly sneak out the back entrance into the arena, as the undead forces of Nagash clash with the summoned undead forces of Asphyxious. The battle is epic, and much pwnage is laid down._

**Ferrus Manus:** "But we're not part of it, so let us not dwell too much on such details. Anyone want some snacks?" _Holds up typical gamer food (high in tasty, low in waistline maintenance). _

**Macha:** _Munching on some snacks as she runs. _"What is this 'Plot Hole' that the iron lich referred to?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Who cares? This universe is full of them – take your pick. Want to discuss the Cabal? Alpharius gets real testy when you point out how absurd it all is. Want to remind Fulgrim how his character is dictated by what daemonically-possessed sword he wields? Or how about the astropathic communications that work drastically faster when the narrative calls for it, then takes bloody decades the rest of the time? Or the 'works-instantaneously-when-you-want-it' Warp travel? Or that people seem to keep forgetting space is three dimensional? Or that Space Marine Chapters are **rapid strike forces** and not **armies capable of conquering worlds**? Or …"

**Vect:** "We get the picture; at least your Space Marines have a relatively expansive background. I'm still not sure whether I'm supposed to be worshipping Slaanesh or hating her guts"

**Iyanna:** "Which reminds me; she sent you a belated birthday present yesterday. I've stored it on the Dais of Destruction"

**Vect:** "Oh she's a dear …"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Where's the Dais?"

**Vect:** "Parked outside, why?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I'm borrowing it – I'm not retreating from battle via public transport. I still have **some sort** of standards left"

**Vect:** _He stops and points._ "Well … there it is"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Dude … you parked in a disabled spot. Have you no shame?"

**Vect:** "Er … Dark Eldar, remember?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Good point. Right girls, let's move. Do you have a USB port anywhere? My girlfriend's getting tired of being stuck in a pen drive …"

**Vect:** "In another universe that last sentence might be considered strange …" _Climbs up the side of his pimped-up Ravager. _"Welcome aboard my Pimpmobile!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Is there a better name for it than that?"

**Vect:** "4chan Party Wagon?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Is greeted by several slave girls wearing outfits that make Princess Leia's infamous bikini look positively _modest_ in comparison._ "That'll do ... so ... where to?"

**Vect:** "I was hoping you'd have an idea, considering how eager you were to escape that arena"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I was just trying to get out of something that would require me to ... well ... **do something**. I've spent most of my life avoiding hassle and wasting time in the dark depths of the Internet ... and frankly I don't intend to change a habit of a lifetime any time soon"

**Vect:** "Then come back to Commorragh with me. It's like the *chan's ... only in /rl/"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Leaning back getting a back massage by a generously-proportioned blonde._ "So ... when are we leaving?"

**Macha:** _Points. _"How about when he's dealt with?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Do I want to know what she's pointing at?"

**Vect:** "Do you fancy heeding the 'hero's call'?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "No, I fancy skipping the monomyth and resuming my Internet surfing"

**Vect:** "Then Macha's pointing at nothing"

**Ferrus Manus:** "But she's not ... is she?"

**Illidan Stormrage: **"Absolutely not"


	111. Chapter 111

_**Chapter One Hundred and Eleven**_

_The great shambling mass of unwashed, unshaven, and unliving approaches the great South Gate of the Imperial Palace. The structure is epic in size, but thanks to the fact no one but John "I Can Sketch!" Blanche has touched it the gate is also somewhat hazy, with no straight sides and an over-abundance of skulls and flying babies. One of which makes the mistake of drifting too close to one of the psychopathic, hormones-to-the-maximum, Gods-of-PMT Marines of Hecate's Legion – the Hell's Fury Bunnies._

**Bunny Marine:** _Spotting the cherubim. _"Owhh! He's so **adorable**! Can I adopt him?"

**Hecate:** _Standing at the front of her assembled Legion, wearing reality-defying armour (it makes the average Night Elf gear look positively __**modest**__ in comparison, yet still manages total protective cover), and wielding a double-bladed sword that looks similar to the weapons mounted on Titans in both stature and game play effects. _"Quiet Ely; we're not here to adopt anyone" _She lowers the blade and points at the approaching undead horde._ "We're here to kick their asses"

**Bunny Marine 2:** "That's why we're wearing heels? Right?"

**Hecate:** "I don't mean **literally** kick their asses ..."

**Bunny Marine 3:** "Because they're all ... like ... dead ... and I've just had these nails done ..."

**Bunny Marine 2:** "Wow, those are so **gorgeous**! Where did you do them?"

**Hecate:**_ Rolls her eyes. _"Can we concentrate please on the approaching mass of dead civilians hell-bent on destroying the glorious (if a little badly drawn) palace of our Emperor?"

**Bunny Marine 4:** "Does this power armour make me look fat?"

**Hecate:** _Sighs and points her Titan sword._ "Did you hear that! That zombie said 'yes'!!"

**Bunny Marine 3:** "Oh it is **soo** dead"

**Bunny Marine 2:** "**No one** says one of our sisters look fat!"

**Bunny Marine 1:** "How **dare** it?"

**Hecate:** _Smiling at the ease of it all._ "Bunnies of Hell's Fury! In the Emperor's name, let us spread His Truth and Justice to these unliving heathens!"

**Bunny Marine 4:** "I'm not fat! I'm just big-boned! It runs in the family; my mother was large ... of course by the end of her life she was about the size of a Carnifex ... oh God-Emperor, am I going to end up like that?"

**Hecate:** _Turning around and glowering. _"Then we have our own hulking mass of aggravated, tank-killing, bullet-magnet monster to throw at people until we end up with another 'zilla' list people can bitch about endlessly on Internet forums, until the very end of civilisation ... or you get your **fat ass** up there and start carving a bloody, diseased path through those zombies. Now which option sounds more agreeable, oh Queen of Cellulite?"

**Bunny Marine 4**_**:**__ Places hands on her hips._ _"_All I heard was 'fat ass', 'fat ass', 'fat ass'"

**Hecate:** "You need to clean your ears out then girl" _Her warp-phone begins to ring, the tone of which sounds horribly similar to the opening theme of _Sex and the City. "Hello?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_His voice easily heard from the small device._ "Hi dear, it's dad here. We're busy kicking more ass than is technically allowable in this family-friendly forum. How are you doing?"

**Hecate:** "Er ... we're fine. Much kicking of ass here as well .."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Only from where we're standing on the gates behind you it looks like you've yet to start ... while we've already finished"

**Hecate:** "WHAT?!? How could you have finished so quickly? Are you abusing the cheat codes again, father?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Are you accusing the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Of cheating?"

**Hecate:** "What will you do if I am ... **daddy**?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I'll confiscate the keys to your Thunderhawk, young lady!"

**Hecate:** "But ... **DAD!!**"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Don't 'But' me young lady! Now hurry up and defend the palace like I told you to!"

**Hecate:** _Gritting her teeth, she mutters several choice words under her breath before screaming a typical GW-approved war cry and charging into battle. The Hell's Fury Bunnies charge after her, their boltguns spewing divine justice to the unclean ... or something like that anyway. It's action, it's what the Black Library all but orgasms over (to the detriment of any type of coherent narrative and story), so sit back and let your imaginations take over. I've better things to do than describe the nth boltgun shell hitting the nth enemy of the Imperium. Go read a BL book for that stuff._

_We instead pull back our gaze and follow it up to the tops of the gate where the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Stands. We see him sigh, then the image fades and who is left in his place? Malcador the Sigilite. _

**Malcador:** "I'm getting far too old to keep babysitting these fools ..." _He turns to regard the heavily armoured warrior standing next to him, wearing the colours of the Imperial Fist Chapter._ "Report captain?"

**Imperial Fist Captain:** "He's not doing too good, my lord. If it were possible ... I might say he's losing ... but that's a silly thing to say. So I shan't"

**Malcador:** "Good. I need to keep morale up, and if those Primarch fools know their dad's getting his rear handed to him by someone from the **Blizzard** franchise, of all places, then we won't be looking at happy and positive Gods-amongst-men. I **need** happy, positive, Gods-amongst-men, Captain. I **need** them to think they're in control. I need them to believe **they're** the ones making the calls. I didn't spend ten thousand years creating this empire to watch it fall from my grasp because of a bunch of lousy genetically engineered fools"

**Imperial Fist Captain:** "Indeed, my lord"

**Malcador:** "The time will come when we Sensei will reveal ourselves. Such is our skill, even the **designer's themselves**believe us written from existence. We shall prove them wrong. First, however, is this Plot Hole"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Elsewhere, several hundred miles from where Malcador stands, two great individuals clash above their armies. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Swinging a skyscraper like an over-sized mace. _"THAT ALL YOU GOT NER'ZHUL?!?!" _The skyscraper ploughs through others of equal size as the Lich King evades the blow._

**Lich King:** "You have grown week Tracy ... too long have you sat on your golden toilet!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You've grown week yourself! Merging with a dumb blonde ****!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Imperial Fist Captain:** "The Necromancers will not prevail!"

**Malcador:** "Oh the Necromancers aren't working for the Plot Hole; they're working for me"

**Imperial Fist Captain:** "My lord?"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Lich King:** "You have no idea of the power I have gained. So many helpless PCs ... all absorbed into my glorious presence. It was wise of Blizzard to create such a trap – feeding souls to me in the guise of an expansion pack ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Floats in horror. _"Then ... _Wrath of the Lich King_?"

**Lich King:** "Was a sacrifice by my servants at Blizzard to feed me the souls of all the pitiful creatures addicted to _World of Warcraft_ ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Malcador:** "Don't you see? Tracy will lose, and Arthas will triumph. But I shall reveal Arthas' weakness, and Tracy will rise triumphant ... and he will be in my debt"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"YOU MAKE ME SICK! **REJECTION**!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Malcador:** "I will first control the Emperor ... then I will control this empire ... after that?"

**Imperial Fist Captain:** "The universe?"

**Malcador:** "... **all** of them ..."


	112. Chapter 112

_**Chapter One Hundred and Twelve**_

"_A 40K MMORPG? Oh, gotta love that – it'll be one giant massive PVP-fest where __**no one**__ teams up and everyone ganks each other until we all give up and go play _Guild Wars 2. _Won't stop anyone from making one though ... and it'll probably have a world storyline written by Dan Abnett ... expect the Emperor to be Gaunt's son or something ... and be the End Game Boss ..." - Ferrus Manus, on the subject of _Worlds of Warhammer 40,000

_Amongst the countless billion regiments formed under the many banners of the Imperial Guard, a few stand out amongst the others as shining examples of AWESOME and WIN – truly epic regiments of men-_

_**Hecate:**__ "And sometimes women, for the odd occasion when the author isn't a sexist pig"_

_-ahem ... truly epic regiments of men __**and**__ women who are the living embodiments of the Imperial Creed. That stubborn refusal to lie down and die in a universe populated by more hellish abominations than an Essex council estate (too harsh?), where even after a messy, painful, and indescribably horrible death the soul continues to suffer an eternity (and after reading the Daemon Codex, which doesn't so much as overuse that word than rape it like a fourteen year old Japanese schoolgirl in a hentai flick, I __**cannot**__ take 'eternity' seriously any more) of messy and indescribably horrible pain. Eaten by indecisive Furies, Daemons who enjoy sitting on the wall so much they went and formed a new ethereal manifestation of emotional conceptions just to represent it._

_**Necoho:**__ "They're blatantly my bitches, GW just don't want to admit I'm still hanging around ... bastards don't return my calls ... Jervis? Rick? If you guys are still listening ... I love you!!"_

_Can I narrate without interruptions? Where the hell was I in my omniscient train of thought ... ?_

_Oh yeah ... some Imperial Guard regiments are simply the living incarnations of all that several lonely animé fans created the term 'GAR' for (Google, once again, is your friend here). The Tanith First ... isn't one of them._

_Luckily we're here to fix that._

_Let us back-track several hundred years to the time of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, when such heroes as ... wait ... __**Sabbat**__ Worlds Crusade right? No heroes here. Just some whiny Abnett creations running around pretending to fight chaos (with a lower case 'c', not the awesome warriors of Lovecraftian-esque dark gods we know as Chaos) and dying off in contrived circumstances because the plot demanded it. _

_**Tzeentch:**__ "Do I sense some bitterness?"_

_Shut up, you're not in the chapter yet. _

_Let us move our perspective to that fateful scene in _Straight Silver _where Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt is facing off his friend Tolin Dorden, who is protecting one of his patients from righteous field execution for Screwing Up Royally. _

**Ibram Gaunt:** "Dorden ... we've been friends since the Vaguely Established Backstory ... don't make me do this ... I don't want to do this ... as a Commissar Who Cares I have issues against taking the life of a fellow soldier of the Emperor, **especially **one of my Elite Regiment With Precious Few Soldiers" _[Author's Note: As a fan of , I like to think that I'm establishing some Black Library tropes here, especially over-used in any Imperial Guard-related fiction]_

**Tolin Dorden:** "But Gaunt ... taking the lives of men who've committed acts of gross failure in times of war that cost the lives of his fellow comrades is a Bad Thing To Do. **Despite** what they may tell you in Commissar School"

**Ibram Gaunt:** "It's called the Schola Progenium you fool; read some background fluff for once in your life"

**Tolin Dorden:** "Ibram ... you do realise who writes these books?"

_Silence._

**Ibram Gaunt:** "Good point ... now stand aside Tolin ... don't ... don't make me ... I ..." _His gun begins to shake, and tears well in his eyes. _"I ... I can't do it ... I **love you Tolin**!!"

**Tolin Dorden:** _Tears flow from his eyes as well._ "**I love you too** Ibram!"

_They run and embrace, Gaunt throwing his side arm to one side, where it accidentally goes off and blows Milo's brains out. They kiss passionately ... some tongue might be involved ... but that's for the fangirls to fantasize over. I have more important things to narrate (and frankly I like my sanity too much to contemplate such details):_

**Ana Curth: **_Watching the scene unfold._ "NOOOOOO!!!!"

_Picks up Gaunt's side arm and promptly places two bolt shells in the heads of both men. It's messy, and wonderfully poetic. Ana collapses to the floor in despair as a large amount of lasguns are trained on her by slightly irate Tanith Ghosts, who had been shocked out of their despair at seeing their beloved leader and favourite doctor get it on by their quick and messy demise at the hands of The One With The Heart Shaped Face. _

_They promptly explode. For no real reason other than-_

**Tzeentch:** "Chaos did it"

_Yeah ... that. The Big Four stand around Curth as she laments in a pitiful heap on the ground. Khorne is still in her female form, enjoying the height of the female menstrual cycle, while Nurgle has slimmed up (because he now has a girlfriend). Slaanesh is ... well ... Slaanesh (her clothes are so skimpy they actually become inverse and cover up on the negative axis). Tzeentch is wearing her typical robes with the droopy hood that covers the top half of her face. She's wearing purple lipstick, it should be mentioned._

**Khorne:** "Right ... that was a crime of rage upon seeing her love interest declare his homosexuality (and thus unwillingness to ever indulge in sexual intercourse with her) – she's mine"

**Nurgle:** "Don't be so keen Flakes; that was blatantly a crime of despair. Upon seeing the object of her affection declare his interest in someone other than her, she crumbled into hopelessness. Her killing them both is an obvious result of her admittance of defeat in the face of the uncaring nature of reality" _[Author's Note: 'Flakes' is the other three's affectionate nickname for Khorne. No prizes for guessing the source]_

**Slaanesh:** "Says you ... meanwhile those who actually pay attention to things would have noticed the crime was committed out of **lust** for Gaunt, and when that lust was not returned she removed her desire for the Commissar and replaced it with a lust for revenge, which she's no doubt finding incredibly rewarding ... yes darling?"

**Ana Curth:**_ Whimpering. "_I killed him ... I killed him ..."

_The three look at Tzeentch, waiting for her turn to speak._

**Tzeentch:** "You know what? You guys are right – she's all yours"

**Khorne:** _Raising an eyebrow. _"What? Not going to make some sarcastic and clever comment that twists all that we've said to your convoluted ways?"

**Tzeentch:** "No"

**Nurgle:** "Hmm ... guys? Group discussion. T - you're not involved"

_Nurgle, Slaanesh, and Khorne huddle at a distance and whisper amongst themselves. After a few minutes they stand up and walk back to the circle. _

**Slaanesh:** "We've decided – she's all yours"

**Nurgle:** "It's clear that your apparent disinterest in the mortal is actually a clever ruse to make us suspicious of you and believe that if we take the mortal we'll actually be unconsciously following your plan all along, so we refuse the mortal and give her to you which is the plan all along. So, we're giving the mortal to you"

**Tzeentch:** "How does that work?"

**Khorne:** "This way, we're not giving the mortal to you because you want us to think you're not interested when you really are interested and are just tricking us into thinking you're not interested when you really are, we're giving you the mortal **because we want to** ..."

**Tzeentch:** _Shrugs and places a hand on Curth's shoulder._"Fair enough" _They both disappear._

_Silence._

**Nurgle:** "Dammit! She's done it again!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_In some strange dimension beyond space, time, and the laws of narrative coherence ..._

**Tzeentch:** "Just as planned" _She stares down at the mortal known as Ana Curth._ "Now my dear, I have something special planned for you ... wow ... your face **really is** heart-shaped ..."

**Ana Curth:** _Trying to crawl backwards, but finding herself unable to move further away from the god-like being._"What are you going to do to me?"

**Tzeentch:** _Leaning closer, and wearing a carnivorous grin on her purple-lined lips._ "I want you to act as my eyes and ears within the organisation known as the CABAL. They're up to something; possibly unconnected with the arrival of the Plot Hole, and the betrayal of the Necromancers, but possibly connected to both. I want to **know**. I am Tzeentch, Architect of Fate, Changer of the Ways, the Grand Conspirator. I want to **know** ... and you're going to tell me ... **everything**"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_What is the CABAL up to? Is this the end of the Tanith Ghosts? What does this plot revelation mean to our heroes? Will Tracy __**ever**__ defeat Arthas? Will Macha __**ever**__ get laid? _  
_Find all your answers (and more ... unfortunately more) in the next instalments of PRIMARCHS!_


	113. Chapter 113

_**Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen**_

"_Behold! The greatest invention since the discovery of sliced grox! A device that shall revolutionise the way war is fought in the 41st millennium! Behold the PISTOL HOLSTER!"_  
_- A Nameless AdMech Priest, just before the arrival of the 4th Ed Codex: Dark Angels_

_The Well of Eternity straddles multiple universes; it appears in the Warcraft 'verse, and has now made an appearance in the established lore of the _Warhammer 40,000 _franchise as a place Tzeentch is too pussy-footed to enter._

_**Tzeentch:**__ "Lies! I am afraid of no man! Or place! Or established canonical background!"_

_Interruptions from the Chaos Pantheon aside, the Well of Eternity supposedly holds the meaning of life, which may or may not be 42 or a derivative of. Being the coward that she is, Tzeentch seized her vizier, a Greater Daemon of such important it was not mentioned until the recent Daemonic retroactive continuities presented in _Codex: Chaos Daemons, _and hurled he/she/it into the depths of the Well of Eternity with the simple instruction:_

_**Tzeentch:**__ "What happens in the _Sex and the City_ film?"_

_After, and I quote from the book, 'an eternity' (proving no one at GW actually understands the concept of 'eternity') Kairos Fateweaver managed to crawl out of the Well and present itself to Tzeentch with it's new-found knowledge. _

_**Fateweaver:**__ "They all die to a terrorist attack on New York. The film wins many Oscars for it's commentary on current world issues. Sarah Jessica Parker dies shortly after when crazed fans smother her in adoration"_

_**Tzeentch:**__ "I knew it! I'm going to post on my LiveJournal account on how right I've been all this time!"_

_The end result is that Fateweaver is the go-to guy/girl/thing when you need answers fast. It is for this reason that Magnus the Red now stands before the slightly crazy two-headed Lord of Change._

**Magnus the Red:** "Fateweaver! I stand before you with a single question!"

**Fateweaver:**_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "Ask"  
**Fateweaver:**_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "Piss off!"

**Magnus the Red:** "What is ... the best character class in 4th Edition D&D?"

**Fateweaver:**_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "All of them!"  
**Fateweaver:**_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "None of them!"

**Magnus the Red:** _Turns to Falal, who stands patiently beside him, wearing clothes that a divided perfectly between black and white in colour._ "This is why I don't come here often. It's like trying to get a sensible and intelligent answer from an Internet forum ..."

**Fateweaver:**_ It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "The Internet rocks!"  
**Fateweaver:**_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "The Internet sucks!"

**Falal:** "Relax ... just ask the question and we'll see what answers we get"

**Magnus the Red:** "Falal ... parts of that dialogue were coloured!"

**Falal:** "Wow ... guess my divinity's slowly returning"

**Magnus the Red: **_Turning his attention back to Fateweaver._ "Why is Russ trying to nuke **another** world of mine?"

**Fateweaver:**_ It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "He believes you stole his spear!"  
**Fateweaver:**_ It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "He believes you forgot to tape _Gladiators_"

**Magnus the Red:** "Oh bugger ... I **did** forget to tape _Gladiators_ for him ... on the other hand ..."

**Falal:** "While I'msure forgetting to take crappy Sky remakes of classic cult television is grounds for dragging elite genetically engineered armies half-way across a Segmentum, it's probably the spear he's pissed about"

**Magnus the Red:** "But I haven't stolen any damn spear!"

**Falal:** "That's no reason why he wouldn't think you have"

**Fateweaver:** _It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "She speaks the truth!"  
**Fateweaver: **_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "She's a ****ing liar!"

**Falal:** "Oh shut up, you two-faced giant turkey"

**Fateweaver: **_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "Bitch should know better than to leave the kitchen!"  
**Fateweaver: **_It's twin heads speaking simultaneously._ "Gender equality FTW!"

**Magnus the Red:** "This is serious ... I need to find the source of this misunderstanding before Russ blows up **another** of my worlds"

**Falal:** "It's not as if he's making a habit out of it ..."

**Magnus the Red:** "I'd like to stop him before he does"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_In the terrifying nightmare realm of Comorragh, there exists but one simple philosophy: /rl/ sucks today. In an effort to constantly address this unfortunate turn of events, the Dark Eldar have established a system of doing whatever the hell they feel they need to make their day a brighter place. They do not draw a line anywhere; in fact the line is not even referenced. It's debatable whether such a concept as 'a line' is ever on the table in the first place. Instead, the Dark Eldar enjoy seeking new boundaries to push. The official image board of Comorragh, , is perpetually full of the type of porn that makes the most sadistic, twisted, and downright sick Humans throw up their hands in disgust and say 'At least I'm not into __**that!**__' The board mascot is Warpbeast-tan, a humanoid version of a Warp Beast with exaggerated cleavage. It's disturbing like that ..._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Oh my Imperial Truth – the horror!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "That's just the welcome sign ..."

**Ferrus Manus:** "How can you fit so much ... into her ... er ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Backpack?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I knew the word! I was just leaving a dramatic pause ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "It's supposed to show that anyone visiting Commorragh will leave after must purchasing and spending of their hard-earned cash for cheap merchandise which we knock off in minutes and sell for extraordinary high prices under the guise of being unique artefacts and expert craftsmanship"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Sounds familiar ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Now that's just being harsh. Anyway; come with me. There's many things we need to talk about"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Dude; I'm not talking about anything. I'm just here to escape my dad, my brothers, my sister, my Imperial Truth-damned chapter ... pretty much everything I suppose"

**Asdrubael Vect: **"Well ... if that were possible I would grant it to you ... but-" _Reaches under his chin and pulls off his face, revealing:_

**Alpharius:** "You can **never** escape us Ferrus! I ... see ... you ... **everywhere **..."

**Ferrus Manus:** _Takes a step backwards._ "Dude ... **not funny**. So where you Vect all along?"

**Alpharius:** "An interesting question. I'm not entirely too sure myself ... Vect?"

_Vect appears from behind Alpharius._

**Vect:** "No idea. Plot hole?"

**Alpharius:** "Forget the plot hole – **WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING BEHIND ME?!?**"

**Vect:** _Grins._ "Wouldn't you like to know?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Have we finally referenced surprise buttsecks in PRIMARCHS?"

**Alpharius:** "This is a new low. I feel the need to quote classic English literature just to make me feel cleaner and more sophisticated. Ferrus; like it or not the galaxy once again needs your help. Have you still got the back door access to Merrett's laptop?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Of course. Keep meaning to dump tonnes of porn on there just for the lulz"

**Alpharius: **"Good, because we need it. Follow me and I'll fill you on in the plan"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Is it cunning?"

**Alpharius:** "Don't make me quote _Blackadder_ – I hate quoting myself"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_What is Alpharius up to? What's his plan? Is this actually Alpharius or simply Vect pretending to be Alpharius, pretending to be Vect, pretending to be ..._  
_Find all your answers (and more ... unfortunately more) in the next instalments of PRIMARCHS!_


	114. Chapter 114

_**SPECIAL FIFTH EDITION PREVIEW**_

_In the dark depths of the Imperial Palace lies the Golden Throne; an ancient and vast machine dedicated to sucking the life out of thousands of psykers every week to sustain the immense life force of the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Little known fact is the existence of the single Techpriest responsible for checking all the dials are in the correct Omnissiah-approved positions ..._

**Techpriest Bob:**_ Checking the dials._ "Hmm ... everything seems OK ... again ... Machine God on Mars this job is **dull** ... no one around except old corpse-boy here ... hey ... that's given me an idea"

_Next day ..._

**Bob's Girlfriend:** "Wow ... this is an **awesome** make-out spot. It's a little creepy with corpse-dude there ..."

**Techpriest Bob:** "Just pretend he's asleep ... so come here"

**Bob's Girlfriend:** _Giggles._

Snap.

**Bob's Girlfriend:** "Oh crap. What was that?"

**Techpriest Bob:** "Probably nothing important ... just move over a bit-"

_BANG!_

**Techpriest Bob:** "Erm ... **that** was probably important ..."

_CRASH!!_

**Bob's Girlfriend:** "I'm so sorry; my foot slipped and ... we should probably get out of here ..."

**Techpriest Bob:** "It's alright ... it was old ... probably near it's time ..."

_Next day ..._

**Senior Techpriest:** "Bob! What the hell happened?"

**Techpriest Bob:** "It was like that when I found it I **swear!**"

**Senior Techpriest:** "And the warranty expired two days ago!"

**Techpriest Bob:** "We can fix it, right?"

_Silence ..._

**Senior Techpriest:** "Bob ... find me some duct tape ..."

_**Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen**_

"_Look! An undead Grot!"_

_- Captain J. Sparrow of the Raven Guard_

_In space, they say, no one can hear you scream. This probably has something to do with the lack of viable mediums for the transportation of sound waves, but that's just missing the point: it sounds cool (pun intended). Equally true is that, in space, no one can hear your cries of anguish as you realise the last of the rum-and-raison biscuits have been eaten._

**Corax:** "What the hell's going on?"

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** _Standing before the empty storage room. _"They're gone. Gone they are – cease and desist ... oh my precious samples of sweet heaven's taste TAKEN! Taken from me!"

**Corax:** _Turns to an underling._ "What did he say?"

**Random Raven Guard Serf:** "The Chapter Master is irate that the rum-and-raison biscuits have been unexpectedly devoured"

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** _Spinning around on the spot, his hat almost falls off. _"Yes! Short man is correct in his assumption!"

**Random Raven Guard Serf:** "I'm not short ... I'm a Human serving amongst Space Marines ..."

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** "A Marine? Where? Oh ... **I'm** a Marine! Strange ... when did that happen?"

**Corax:** "Who the hell made you Chapter Master?"

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** "Now that ... is a question. A mark of an educated man ... that is ... asking questions. Asking questions is to be encouraged ... and I **do** encourage asking questions ... but that question ... is interesting in it's answer"

**Corax:** "Shall I get a seat while he rambles on about whatever it is he's rambling on about?"

**Random Raven Guard Serf:** "That might be a good idea. Shall I get one for you my lord?"

**Corax:** "Could you find one of those seats with the inbuilt drinks fridge our Techmarine brethren refuse to share with us because we're all a bunch of technology-ignorant fools and unenlightened to the ways of the Cult Mechanicus?"

**Random Raven Guard Serf:** "I could ..."

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** "That's it! They've stolen it! Those Techmarines and there techno-thingie-metal-kaleidoscopic-**something** ... I've seen them watching ... with those eyes ... metal eyes ... like ... metal ... watching ..."

**Corax:** "I repeat the question"

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** "Ah! Questions! Glorious questions! Like where is the rum?"

_A Raven Guard Sergeant approaches._

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "My lord Corax!"

**Corax:** "A change of subject! Oh joyous occasion; rescue me from this madness with something **different** to obsess about"

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "Er ... sure ... we're approaching the first world on lord Chapter Master's list of 'Planets Who Possibly Could Have Rum'"

**Corax:** "And ... ?"

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "The Salamander fleet is in orbit, as is the battle barges of the White Scars and the 127th Brand-Spanking-New Armada, my lord"

**Corax:** "Salamanders and the White Scars? Strange ... wonder what they're doing here ...?"

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "This might be a small shot in the dark, my lord ... but considering they're Space Marines ... fighting ... perhaps?"

**Corax:** "What a silly suggestion! Why would Space Marines fight?"

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "Er ..."

**Corax:** "I was being sarcastic you fool! Take us into orbit alongside their fleets and open communication with whoever claims to be in charge!"

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "We already have, my lord. Your brothers Vulkan and The Khan both say the same: 'Get down here; we've found someone cool to beat up'"

**Corax:** "Excellent! Perhaps we can establish some narrative purpose behind this mindless voyage into obscurity!"

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** "Perhaps we wish to remain obscure in purpose?"

**Corax:** "Don't ask awkward questions"

**Chapter Master J Sparrow:** "Then don't ask who made me Chapter Master"

**Corax:** "... touché"

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "What message shall I transmit to lords Vulkan and The Khan?"

**Corax:** "Tell Vulkan I want that Quentin Tarantino box set back, **then** tell him I'll be down in a moment providing **he** pays for the round afterwards"

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "And The Khan, my lord?"

**Corax:** _penetrating gaze_

**Raven Guard Sergeant:** "Very well, my lord"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_What dangers lurk on the planet below? What happened to the biscuits? Where's that undead Grot promised in the quote?_  
_Find all your answers (and more ... unfortunately more) in the next instalments of PRIMARCHS!_


	115. Chapter 115

= = = = = = = ***CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN*** = = = = = = =

"_To be ... or not to be ... that's a stupid question; the obvious answer is BOTH! I will have BOTH dammit! It'll make no sense, but that's __**half the fun**__!!"_

_- Falal, when asked 'What do you do?'_

_**Rogal Dorn:**__ One can experience many pleasures in life, providing one has the basic luxuries we demand. In times of war, this is no exception. It's a beautiful morning; the skies are blood red with the fires burning from the destruction of the surrounding urban landscape and the mile-high piles of decapitated zombies we assembled a few hours ago. My troops are conducting sweeping cleanses of the more built-up areas of surviving infrastructure, and I, meanwhile, sit back and sip the most delicious of tea while reading the morning newspaper ... what could be better than this?_

**Captain Lysander:** "A simultaneous Terminator assault on the shopping mall three blocks away where a Lich is holed up with his undead minions?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Dropping the paper to get a good look at the Captain, clad in the immense Terminator armour of the First Company. _"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

**Captain Lysander:** "Plot hole, my lord"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Hmm ... seem to be getting a fair few of them these days ..." _He glances over between the ruined skyscrapers at the shopping mall Lysander mentioned._ "Doesn't this seem like a somewhat reverse _Dawn of the Dead_-scenario to you?"

**Captain Lysander:** "Do you think they'll last as long as the characters in the film?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Don't be ridiculous; they weren't facing Space Marines"

_THIS CHAPTER IS GUEST-WRITTEN BY GRAHAM MCNEIL_

**Rogal Dorn:** _Standing to his feet, he is an AWESOME figure of GLORIOUS RETRIBUTION covered in HOLY IMPERIAL INSIGNIAS and clad in IMPENETRABLE TERMINATOR ARMOUR THAT CANNOT BE PENETRATED BY ANYTHING ... did I mention he's quite AWESOME? _"WARRIORS OF THE ASTARTES! TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL!"

**Captain Lysander:** "Is that supposed to be motivational?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "What's up? Don't like a little pep-talk before the battle?" _He says in his AWESOME armour (and I have lots of them in my Space Marine army. Buy some now!)._"We're ASTARTES! We're SPACE MARINES! We're INVINCIBLE! We CANNOT BE DEFEATED! EVER! IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM! WE'RE AWESOME! BUY SPACE MARINES NOW! NOW!"

_THIS CHAPTER IS NO LONGER GUEST-WRITTEN BY GRAHAM MCNEIL, WHO HAS UNFORTUNATELY BEEN TAKEN ROUND THE BACK AND SHOT_

**Rogal Dorn:** "Thank goodness for that ... get your Terminators ready"

**Captain Lysander:** "Can I take the** VORTEX GRENADE**?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "No you can't ... though how did you manage to get your voice that deep?"

**Captain Lysander:** "Just say **VORTEX GRENADE** ... it happens automatically"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Really? **VORTEX GRENADE** ... wow ... you're right. It really does work!"

**Captain Lysander:** "I wonder if **VIRUS OUTBREAK **would work as ... wow ... it did!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Maybe ... no, better get on with the plot lest they accuse us of more filler episodes to buy time to compile a coherent storyline ... no **VORTEX GRENADE** this time Lysander; we're not taking that datasheet this Apocalypse match. Gather your best men, equip them with the best weapons the Chapter armoury can provide, and go waste the Emperor's ammunition on mere zombies. Bring me the Lich's head ... he's a Quest Item ..."

**Captain Lysander:** "Yeah ... I noticed the giant floating gold exclamation mark above your head ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** "What?" _He looks up, and indeed there is a giant gold exclamation mark floating up and down a few inches above his head._ "Dammit! What the hell is this? _Worlds of Warhammer 40,000_? I'm no fething quest-giver! Go get experience points somewhere else – like in battle!"

**Captain Lysander:** "I'll go grind some zombies then ..." _Turns to walk away._

**Rogal Dorn:** "Why is your thunder hammer glowing red? It's supposed to be blue!"

**Captain Lysander:** "I ... er ... levelled up my Enchanting skill overnight ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** "Why is WoW invading this franchise and corrupting it with such evils as grinding and questing! Does this look like an MMO? Do you see every second Space Marine being played by a twelve year old brat from whatever passes for the least desirable place to live in the country of your choice? OMG M 1 SPKNG 1N FA1lSPK?"

**Captain Lysander:** "No ... my lord"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Leave your bloody enchanting crap alone and go kill some undead freaks"

**Captain Lysander:** "But they drop what I need for [Enchant Weapon - Greater Overpowered Cheesefest]!!"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Gives Lysander THE LOOK!_

**Captain Lysander:** "... OK ... I'm off"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Watches Lysander leave._ "Thank the Imperial Truth for that ..." _Goes back to reading his paper. _"Bloody kids and their computer games ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Will the Space Marines defeat slow-moving and considerably stupid zombies? Will Graham McNeil demand another guest appearance? Will Lysander get that 375 skill level?_  
_Find all your answers (and more ... unfortunately more) in the next instalments of PRIMARCHS!_


	116. Chapter 116

= = = = = = = ***CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN*** = = = = = = =

_**Horus:**__ What is war? Is it merely an excuse to make Oscar-bait films? Or is it deeper? Does war touch upon our innermost desires? Do we all, deep down inside, want to grab a boltgun and go a ass-kicking? Is it Human nature to be competitive, and war the greatest competition ever? Why am I even bothering to think about all this? Although ... having an intellectual discussion while simultaneously dual-wielding assault terminators dual-wielding thunder hammers __**and**__ beating the utter **** out hordes of high-level undead freaks? Now __**that's**__ awesome!_

_Just like me ..._

**Tarik Torgaddon:** _Swinging around Horus' head via a strong adamantium chain binding him to another of his squad in similar gear._ "My lord? I'm getting quite ill ..."

**Horus:**_ Swining the chained terminators around his head. "_Shut your bitching! I'm kicking ass here and looking sexier than Gerard Butler in a loincloth!"

**Tarik Torgaddon:** "Now I'm disturbed ..."

**Horus:** "That's what I like to hear. Take that uncomfortable feeling out on the enemy! Swing your hammers with anger my Sons of Horus!"

**Tarik Torgaddon:** "I thought we were the Black Legion?"

**Iacton Qruze:** _Clambering over debris and narrowly avoiding being hit by a swung Tarik._ "Black Legion? Screw that – I've never answered to anything but Lunar Wolves! Young people these days with their 'black' and their 'emo' and their 'depressing poetry' and their 'rock music' and their 'black parade' and their 'razors' and their 'nine inch nails' and their 'gigs' and their 'mush pits' and their 'no one understands me' and their 'leather' and their 'belts and buckles' and their 'MTV' and their 'Kerrang!' and their 'Coldplay' and their 'Xbox 360s' and their '_Grand Theft Auto_' and their 'knives' and their 'stabbing people for mobile phones' and their 'teen pregnancies' and their 'style' and their-"

_A back-hand from Horus decapitates the Half-Heard. _

**Horus:** "Shut the **** up"

**Tarik Torgaddon:** _Swinging his thunder hammers around aimlessly._ "Thank the Imperial Truth for that ... hey ... is this actually **effective** in any way whatsoever?"

**Horus:** "It looks cool which, in case you've been suffering a severe case of **stupid** recently, is what this entire Gods-damned universe is built around. For the Gods' sake – we use chainsaw **swords** in a universe populated by more long-range destructive weaponry than an NRA convention ..."

**Tarik Torgaddon:** _Swing-swing._ "So you're basing your entire battle strategy on the Rule of Cool?"

**Horus:** "That's why I exist Tarik. Ever wondered why Primarchs don't have any rules to include them on the average 40K battlefield? It's because we already have a rule – the Rule of Cool, baby!"

_The sunglasses appear in Horus' hand, and he promptly places them on their rightful place. _

**Tarik Torgaddon:** "This entire battle is doomed from the start"

**Horus:** "I doubt it. The Eldar aren't here"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Meanwhile, several hundred miles away on the other side of the Imperial Palace ..._

**Hecate:** "Screw this for a game of soldiers!" _She flings her blade aside._

_The Lich she faces in the heat of swirling melee (well ... actually it doesn't __**swirl**__ so much as collide around aimlessly like dodgem cars at a fun fair) laughs and summons yet more undead monstrosities to send into the fray. _

**Random Warcraft Lich:** "Is that all? Is this the limits of the mighty Hecate? Is this all a Primarch can do? I stand here and laugh like a badly-acted villain in a pantomime show, as befitting a member of Blizzard's cast of bad guys! Gaze upon me and quake in fear!"

**Hecate:** "No thanks. You forget; this is _Warhammer 40,000_. 'Fear' is a laughing joke considering how many of us are Fearless or possess stupidly high Leadership. As for a 'limit' ... don't make me laugh. I just thought that little toothpick-" _She points to her sword._ "-was a little too small for me ..."

**Random Warcraft Lich:** "What? Speak sense woman! Lest I tear you in two from head to ... well ... that place"

**Hecate:** _Jumps forty feet to the base of a huge statue and quickly climbs the side to where the stone behemoth holds a sword longer than the average battle titan (Rule of Cool, remember?). With little effort she grabs hold of the sword and pulls it away from the colossal hand it rests in. _"Now **this** is a sword!"

**Random Warcraft Lich:** "Arthas **** me sideways ... that's **ridiculous!**"

**Hecate:** "Rule of Cool, baby!"

_She swings the sword around in a great arc, carving through the hordes of undead and smearing them across the great stone flat of the blade. When it meets the Lich great energies flare into life as the undead master projects a magical force field. _

**Hecate:** _Straining against the energies conjured by the Lich._ "ARRRRGH!!"

**Random Warcraft Lich:** _Also straining to maintain the barrier against the strength of Hecate._ "AAARRRGGGHH!"

**Hecate:** _More straining ..._ "AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!"

**Random Warcraft Lich:** _Straining ..._ " ... wait **are you checking your nails?**"

**Hecate:** _She stops looking at the nails of her left hand._ "Sorry, got distracted by a break in one of them ... dammit ... anyway – AAA ... oh screw it" _The blade effortlessly carves through the field and smears the Lich's body all over the stone._"That exchange was like a bad episode of _Dragonball Z_"

**Random Hell's Fury Bunny Marine:** "My lady Hecate – we're pushing the undead horde back! We are triumphant in the Emperor's name!"

**Hecate:** "About bloody time. Dad's already finished, and Horus and Rogal have probably somehow, through sheer dumb luck, managed to hold their sides. Pick the best squads and send them after the undead. Burn them as they run, lest they return with greater numbers ... and frankly I don't want a sequel"

**Random Hell's Fury Bunny Marine:** "Not a horror fan, my lady?"

**Hecate:** "Oh no ... I prefer a good rom-com ... wait ... what is **that?**"

**Random Hell's Fury Bunny Marine:** _Straining her genetically altered eyes._ "It appears to be a bad collection of polygons ... my lady"

**Hecate:** "Oh crap ... send word to Horus, Rogal, and dad – they've moved Naxxramas"

**Random Hell's Fury Bunny Marine:** "I'll go get a Raid group prepared ... my lady"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Lorgar:** _Stares at the hololithic display in front of him._ "This makes no sense"

**Arhra:** "It's not supposed to make sense. We don't call it a 'Plot Hole' for no reason"

**Lorgar:** _Leans back and sighs._ "So what's the relationship between the CABAL and the Illuminati? What's your part in this? You do realise both those two organisations are anti-Chaos in nature?"

**Arhra:** "I know, what's why I joined. You see ... my God demanded it"

**Lorgar:** _Frowns for a moment, then looks at Arhra again._ "You're a Malalite!"

**Arhra:** "We prefer to be known as Falalites now ... in honour of the new name our God has chosen. It did mean we had to update all the merchandise and official DVDs ... but it's a small sacrifice to make to appease the great Falal"

**Lorgar:** "So you're a Chaos follower working with anti-Chaos fanatics to destroy Chaos? Very chaotic ... I am impressed"

**Arhra:** "Thank you ... so what do you think?"

**Lorgar:** "It will be difficult trying to combat this foe with so many narrative discontinuities present in our universe. It draws energy from plot holes ... and we have many"

_Lorgar stands up and walks around the sparse room at the highest tower on the Craftworld of Otogsc. In the streets below Eldar casually rape and murder each other, while sticking rocks in the vents of Falcons to blow them up. _

**Lorgar:** "What Craftworld is this?"

**Arhra:** "What happens when you let **anyone** write a Black Library (in name only) novel ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Will the brave defenders complete Naxxramas and get their Tier 3 gear? Where has this abomination of a Craftworld appeared from? What's Arhra up to? Why's Lorgar with him? Where's Mortarion? What the hell's Fulgrim up to? _  
_Find all your answers (and more ... unfortunately more) in the next instalments of PRIMARCHS!_


	117. Chapter 117

= = = = = = = ***CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN*** = = = = = = =

_As various climatic events occur throughout the war-torn galaxy of the 42nd millennium (not a typo, this does occur several decades after the 13th Black Crusade) let us pull back from these moments and discover the current whereabouts of a Primarch suspiciously absent since the resolution of the previous summer campaign (you know – the one involving C'tan and Alan Merrett's laptop?). Let us answer this nagging question:_

**Mortarion:** "There is no way in hell those are real ..."

**Ev'rii:** _She leans over and inspects the two-page picture in the magazine Mortarion is holding. _"Oh those are real"

**Mortarion:** _Frowns and holds the magazine side-ways, thus positioning the naked girl featured in the natural position of head pointing upwards, and exposed breasts pointing downwards. _"How can you tell? I've heard prosthetics on many Imperial worlds are quite realistic ... the AdMech apparently has a special branch dedicated to the research"

**Ev'rii:** "I gave her those breasts Mort"

**Mortarion:**_ Raising an eyebrow. "_She's Slaaneshii?"

**Ev'rii:** "Haven't you notice the pattern she's chosen to shave her ... er ... certain area into?"

**Mortarion:** _Looks down the pages._ "Oh ... so she has. I didn't notice"

**Ev'rii:** _Smiling._ "That's what I love about you – you're so refreshingly **different** to the normal types of people I usually deal with"

**Mortarion:** _Struggles to work out whether he should be complimented or insulted by that last comment._

_A strange figure of mechadendrites wielding various surgical equipment approaches the two where they sit in the waiting lounge of Fabius Bile's Apothecarium._

**'Doctor':** _In a strange mechanical voice (his mouth is covered by a vox unit)._ "Mr Mortarion ... Mrs Mortarion? If you would like to follow me ... Doctor Bile is ready to see you"

**Mortarion:** "Sure"

_They get up and follow the 'Doctor' as he leads them past a display case filled with immobile creatures that vaguely resemble Carnifexes, through seemingly endless corridors and closed doors through which screams and cries for help can be heard, until eventually they reach a door marked 'Dr. F Bile'._

**'Doctor':** "The Doctor will see you now ..."

**Mortarion:** "Wonderfully ominous ... do you practice?"

**'Doctor':** "Every day ..."

_Inside the infamous Bile sits behind a large desk cluttered with various items of paperwork and bleeding organs._

**Fabius Bile:** "Ah! Mort! Do sit down ... and this must be your lovely wife ... a pleasure to meet you. Mort you old devil; never had you pegged to marry a Daemonette!"

**Ev'rii:** "Keeper of Secrets, actually"

**Fabius Bile:** "Oh ... congratulations on the promotion. Slaanesh must be pleased ... for a change. Now ... what can I do for you two?"

**Mortarion:** _Shifting uncomfortably. _"Ah ..."

**Ev'rii:** "We wish to conceive"

**Fabius Bile:** _Frowning. _"Conceive?"

**Ev'rii:** "A child. A baby. An offspring"

_Silence._

**Fabius Bile:** "I see ..." _Reaches down and pulls out a large container of pills._

**Ev'rii:**_ Surprised. "_Is it that easy?"

**Fabius Bile:** "No these are for me" _Pops a huge handful of the little white pills into his mouth and swallows hard._ "Do continue ..."

**Ev'rii:** "Well it's quite simple really. Mort and I want to start a family ... but ... well"

**Mortarion:** "I'm infertile by genetic design and Ev'rii doesn't have a single womb behind any of her ... er ... you know ... erm ..."

**Fabius Bile:** "I'm a doctor, you can say the word" _Noticing Mortarion's discomfort._ "Oh for the Gods' sake it's ... er ... that word ... easy to say ... I'm a doctor ... I say it all the time ... not a day goes by when I don't say it ..."

**Ev'rii:** "Look, we've been trying-"

**Fabius Bile:** "How?"

**Ev'rii:** "I'm sorry?"

**Fabius Bile:** "How have you been trying?"

**Ev'rii:** _A little confused._ "Er ... the normal way"

**Fabius Bile:** "But he's-" _Gestures to Mort. _"-infertile and you have not a single womb in that marvellously curvaceous body of yours, so what could would the 'normal way' be?"

**Ev'rii:** "I don't know ... maybe because it's a) fun as hell-"_ Mortarion smirks, then quickly wipes his face clean and resumes his usual depressed demeanour. _"-and b) perhaps we might conceive through a giant plot hole instigated by the timeless excuse that 'Chaos did it'?"

**Fabius Bile:** "Well what you do in your spare time is, of course, your own business, but as a doctor I wouldn't pin your hopes on screwing like Slaaneshii bunnies in the vain hope that you'll spontaneously mutate a uterus and gestate a half-Primarch half-Daemon spawn that you can dress up in cotton baby clothes and take along to mother's meetings and show off for everyone else to coo over and tell you how much he looks like his father"

**Ev'rii:** "Sarcastic rants aside, what **do **you recommend as a doctor?"

**Fabius Bile:** "A choice selection of a little thing we in the trade like to call **adoption**"

**Ev'rii:** "But we'd like to have a child of our own ..."

**Fabius Bile:** "What's wrong with any of these kids?" _Presses a button and a huge cage pops out of the floor filled with screaming, half-staved children of various ages._

**Ev'rii:** "They look too tasty, I might accidentally eat one in my 'peckish' moments"

**Mortarion: **"They look like they're about to drop dead if I sneezed on them-"

**Ev'rii:** "To be fair dear your sneeze **does** contain Nurgle's Rot"

**Mortarion:** "A good point ..."

**Fabius Bile:** "No? OK, just more food for my latest experiments then" _Presses another button and the cage disappears. _

**Mortarion:** "Still working on those Carnifexes?"

**Fabius Bile:** "Oh good Gods' no ... now I'm working on something far more worthy of a man of my talents"

**Mortarion:** "Not going to tell us?"

**Fabius Bile:** "If I did it'll only become a Plot Point that'll rear it's ugly head later in this story"

**Mortarion:** "A good point. So is there nothing you can do?"

**Fabius Bile:** "Aside from obtaining your genetic codes and splicing them together to create a child? No ... not much"

**Ev'rii:** "We'll take that option"

**Fabius Bile:** "Excellent ... I'll go get my tools"

**Ev'rii:** _Grinning to herself. _"Before the chapter ends, so what can't you guys say?"

**Fabius Bile & Mortarion:** "What? Va-"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Lorgar:** _twitches_

_What monstrous entity will this unholy union spawn? Will it be cute? Will that fuel the diabolical plans of a certain DFG plotting in the dark depths of the Rock? Who cares, and where the hell __**is**__ the Lion?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in future PRIMARCHS chapters! Stay tuned to possibly or maybe not find out!_


	118. Chapter 118

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN**

"_Honestly, you spend years slavering away on the fundamental rules of the universe and along comes an army like the Space Marines and ignores half of them! You __**don't**__ assault after Deep Strike; I don't care if every snot-nosed brat from here to the Gods-forsaken ends of the universe wants to grow up and don pansy-blue armour like you – YOU __**DON'T **__ASSAULT AFTER DEEP STRIKE! Don't even get me started on Necrons ..."_  
_- Anonymous Deity_

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Deep within the bowels of a hellish Daemon world thousands of slaves toil endlessly to perfect their latest creations. The screams of the dying mix seamlessly with the birth cries of the abominations born from the smouldering pits of hell-spawned fire. Slowly, as if fighting against the very will of reality to keep its blasphemous existence null, a single creature crawls out from the birthing pits and cries its defiance before the being who created it._

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Aww! Aint' it **cute!**" _Bends down and scratches the bundle of scything claws behind what might be an ear ... perhaps._ "Who's a good boy, eh? Who's a good boy? You are! You're a good boy!"

_Standing behind the self-proclaimed 'Queen Bitch of Tier 1 Rush' the mighty Ork warboss Thraka scratches what's left of his head in confusion, although thankfully not with the arm ending in the obscenely large power klaw (which might have left a bit of a mess)._

**Thraka:** "Wat iz deez things?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "My latest creations! Taking the best elements of both Zergling and Tyranid and combining them into a single race of power gaming perfected!" _She stands up and spreads her arms wide at the masses of newly-born creatures before the party._ "Behold the Zergnids!"

**Perturabo:** _Raises one iron eyebrow._ "Zergnids?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Yeah ... well 'Tyraglings' didn't have quite the same ring ..."

**Angron:** _Gazing in awe. _"So much destructive potential ... so much death ... devastation ... I can already hear the screams of the dying ..." _Bends down and scoops his wife up into a crushing bear hug that any Blizzard hero below level 69 would not survive. _"It's days like this that remind me why I married you"

**Perturabo:** _Rolling his iron eyes._ "Get a room you two"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Between Angron's immense arms._ "We have a room – you're in it"

**Thraka:** _Scratching his iron jaw now (and yes, I do realise that makes no sense)_. "Soz this iz yur army? It lookz a little small ... an' weedy"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Lowered to the floor by Angron._ "The capabilities of my Zergnids far surpass your own pitiful green whelps! You will take back your words-"

**Thraka:** _Stops scratching and stands up straight, his imposing bulks and aura of sheer BADASSERY reminding us why his model is used for 99% of all Ork warbosses in any Ork army. _"Or what?"

**Perturabo:** "Will you two stop indulging yourselves in a cross-gender and species pissing contest? We have a war to plan, stratagies to make-" _Slams down a huge pile of sheets onto a nearby laboratory table, sending test tubes flying everywhere. _"-and army lists to design! I want cheese here people! Grade A cheese!"

**Sylvanas Windrunner:** _Holding out a sandwich she was tucking into. _"It's blue cheese filling"

**Perturabo:** _Stares at her for a moment._ "Did your humour die when you did?"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

"_**You have selected '5': Mutations and Marks. Please press '1' for mutations desired. Please press '2' for mutations given without consent of the mutatee. Please press '3' for a selection of Marks. Please press '4' for inquiries about current status of Cult Terminators. Please press '5' for the current whereabouts of Gavin Thorpe if you desire to inquire about the previous in a more personal manner (or if you breed kittens). Please press '6' for a randomly generated table. Please press '7' for a personal consultation by an industry expert. Please press '8' to return to previous menu. Press '9' for another randomly generated table (we love them!)"**_

**Leman Russ:** _Sitting back in the command chair of his personal battle barge. _"Imperial Truth-dammit! I hate these bloody automated call centres!"

"_**Please press '3' for inquires to relatives who may or may not have suffered Spawndom. Please press '4' as to the benefits of Daemon Princehood. Please press '5' for inquiries into animosity and other assorted violent activities. Please press '6'-"**_

**Ragnar Blackmane:** "Press '24'; she mentioned something about planetary bombardment back then"

**Ulrik:** "Are you sure, young pup? I thought that was for outbreaks of Nurgle's Rot?"

**Ragnar Blackmane:** "That was '84'"

**Logan Grimnar:** "This is pointless! We should have never followed Ahriman's suggestion and try calling the Chaos Help Desk for directions to Magnus' planet! What the hell where we thinking listening to an agent of Magnus in the first place? He's the bloody **enemy!**"

**Russ:** "He said he'd been exiled! Argh! That was completely out of character for me! Imperial Truth-damned **plot hole**!"

"_**If you desire power over others, please press '67' for our Tzeentchian Plot Schemes. If you want the next day off work, please press '68' for our selection of Nurgle Gifts. If you want the perfect orgasm, please press '69' for our Slaanesh hotline"**_

**Leman Russ:** "Any ideas?"

**Ulrik:** "May I suggest we input '00' for the interactive Index and ... my lord ... that's the '6' button ... and that's the '9' button"

**Leman Russ:** "I know! I was just curious! Fine ..." _He presses '00'._

"_**Welcome to the Interactive Index of Chaos. Please input using your remote the first three letters of your query after the tone ..." **__Painful screaming is heard._

**Leman Russ:** "Guess that's the 'tone' ... OK ... er ... where's the letters?"

**Ulrik:** "On the numbers, just underneath in smaller writing ..."

"_**You have selected M – A – G ... do you mean Magic, Magus, Magnificent, Magnaminous, Magnus-"**_

**Leman Russ:** "MAGNUS!!"

"_**You have selected Magnus. Do you refer to Magnus (the Latin word)? Magnus (an individual)? If the latter, please specify whether fictional or factual"**_

**Leman Russ:** "Are we fictional?"

**Ulrik:** "Yes, my lord"

"_**You have selected Magnus (fictional individual). Do you refer to Will Magnus (DC Comics)? Will Magnus (Amalgam Comics)? Leon Magnus? Magnus Eisengrim? Magnus Gallant? Magnus Bane? Magnus the Pious? Magnus the Red?"**_

**Leman Russ:** _Leaping out of his chair and pointing at the screen (which simply has cool swirly colours)._ "MAGNUS THE ****ING RED!!"

"_**We're sorry, but 'Magnus the ****ing red' is not a valid search query ... now returning you to the main page. Thank you for using Wikichaotica"**_

**Leman Russ:** _Collapsing back into his chair. _"For the love of ..."

**Ulrik:** "How about asking for a map?"

**Leman Russ:** "Nah, sod this lets go grab a beer somewhere"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Ahriman:** _Watching the Space Wolf fleet depart from the safety of obscurity. _"Just as planned"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_What else is going on behind the manipulative mind of Ahriman? Do we care? What are the stats of a Zergnid? When is the Codex out? _  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	119. Chapter 119

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN**

"_So if we move those Conscripts in front of us, it increases the chance that the shots magically disappear into thin air? Who the hell thinks up the physics in this world?"_  
_- Random Imperial Guard General_

_Bringing the meltagun near his face, Vulkan pulled back on the trigger and smiled as the immense blast of heat perfectly lit the end of his last Cadian cigar. Taking deep, long draws of the potent narcotic and giving a small measure of thanks to his lung cancer-resistant physiology, the Primarch of the Salamanders Chapter turned to his assembled Captains and spoke the words they all knew, but were hesitant to say. _

**Vulkan:** "This might take longer than we thought. Might want to contact the boys in orbit and tell them to slap a tape in for _24_"

**Captain Bauer: **"I shall torture myself until it is done, my lord"

**Vulkan:** _Stares at the Captain for a moment. _"There's something quite wrong about you"

**Khan:** _Stands up from where he and his sons have been meditating for the last few hours. _"It is time" _Oh ... and penetrating gaze_

**Corax:**_ Taking a deep swig of something potently alcoholic. _"Oh good, I was beginning to wonder whether this was a war zone or a mother's meeting. Do we have any big guns? I'm asking as a member of the Raven Guard, as we've somehow lost most of our tanks down the sofa or something a while back ..."

**Vulkan:** "How careless of you. Of course we have big guns. We're the Salamanders. We've got plenty of things that explode, burn, explode **and** burn, explode **then **burn, and stuff that shoots lots of small things that explode and burn"

**Corax:** "Loving the variety. All yours?"

**Vulkan:** "No, we've got some Ordinatii on loan from a nearby Forgeworld. Which reminds me; if we can paint over that scratch down the side of one of them **before** handing it back to the AdMech I'd be grateful. The new Fabricator General of Mars scares me ..."

**Corax:** "You have Ordinatii? Where are they?"

**Vulkan:** "Er ... we're resting in the shadow of one of them?"

**Corax:** _Looks up. _"Shit ... I thought that was just a large piece of terrain"

_Vulkan is approached by a hunched AdMech priest, snake-like mechadendrites coil around him holding several clipboards and various bits of paper. _

**Vulkan:** "Oh you've finished repairs? So we can move out now?" _The techpriest nods._ "Excellent – men of the Astartes! Do you want to live forever?"

**All Assembled:** "YES, UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT FAVOUR ETERNAL EXISTENCE, OTHERWISE WE PREFER TO DIE IN A BLAZE OF GLORY, PREFERABLY TAKING OUT AS MANY OF THE EMPEROR-DAMNED ENEMY AS POSSIBLE!"

**Vulkan:** "Now **that's** why Dan Abnett never bothers printing the reply"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_In Commorragh the entertainment is varied, and quite illegal on 99% of all planets colonised by sentient beings in the galaxy. None of this bothers Ferrus Manus, a hardened /b/tard who, rumour has it, is responsible for 99% of all posts on __**any**__ image board currently existing on the Internet. Regardless of language. _

**Ferrus Manus:** _Sitting back and sipping something that I would probably get banned for describing._ "So, this is how you pass the time?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Also relaxing on soft cushions, while servants perform various acts I can't describe either. Lorgar's threatening me as I write this._ "Most of the time ... not all of it. I occasionally go out and enjoy less civilised pursuits, but they often just make me long for the moment when I return to Commorragh's fair shores"

**Alpharius:** _Keeping away from the stuff I can't describe._ "'Fair' isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe this"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Well we're not asking for your opinions dear. So why don't you fill Ferrus in on all the details your little spy outfit has discovered?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "You have a 'spy outfit'?"

**Alpharius:** "The remnants of the Fear Loathers"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Pauses to search his memory, then: _"Carl's old Legion?"

**Alpharius:** "Indeed. Our brother Carl sold them to me millennia ago to pay for a set of extremely nice and extremely expensive hololithic TVs to set up in his volcano basement hideaway where he could live his dream of watching crappy cop shows while loading himself up on more drugs in a day than a pharmaceutical corporation can produce in a year. It took a while to train out their natural tendency to smoke various plants and laze around in front of bright and flashy colours, however. I believe it was worth it. They're now possibly the most effective intelligence network in the known universe, without cheating and looking things up on Google"

**Ferrus Manus:** "So where's my titan?"

**Alpharius:** "Your titan is in the hands of the Ork warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, and the Orc chieftain Thrall from the universe of _Warcraft_. It seems they chanced upon your parked vehicle and apprehended it for their own destructive purposes"

**Ferrus Manus:** "What's Thrall doing here?"

**Alpharius:** "He's here with several others from the _Warcraft_ universe seeking vengeance on the entity known as the Plot Hole after the devastation it wrought upon their franchise. They believe that the Plot Hole has arrived in our universe"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Has it?"

**Alpharius:** "Oh indeed it has. Our brothers Vulkan, the Khan, and Corax are unknowingly fighting against the vanguard forces of the Plot Hole as we speak"

**Ferrus Manus:** "The Necromancers, like Nagash who we encountered at that arena?"

**Alpharius:** "No, the Necromancers have nothing to do with the Plot Hole as far as I can tell. It seems they've merely chosen the chaos and anarchy they believe the Plot Hole to bring to strike at the heart of the Imperium"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Terra is under attack?!?"

**Alpharius:** "As we speak. Arthas is laying siege to the Imperial Palace with the recently turned populace now under his undying command and several copied and pasted Naxxramas flying citadels. It's like that world event several years back but without the cool funky gear on offer. My brother Omegon is pulling together a team to combat this threat before it grows out of hand"

**Ferrus Manus:** "What are we doing about the Plot Hole?"

**Alpharius:** "That's what the Tau Empire is for – being a meat shield to our Astartes"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I'm assuming you have something up your sleeve for Terra?"

**Alpharius:** "Don't worry, my brother, everything has been taken care of"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Why does that fail to fill me with confidence?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Out of curiosity, what would happen if the Plot Hole ... er ... 'won'?"

**Alpharius:** "What would happen if you placed a Bag of Holding inside the TARDIS?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "We won't get any sex?"

**Alpharius:** "Not for a long time"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Stands to his feet. _"This abomination will be halted – I swear on the blood of my people we shall halt this monster! Unite the Kabals! The Dark Eldar go to **war**!"

**Alpharius:** "Wait until your new Codex, mate"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Alpharius has a Plan, but will it be enough to save the day? What powerful forces do our trio of Vulkan, Corax, and the Khan march against?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	120. Chapter 120

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY**

"_The enemy of my enemy isn't necessarily my friend. Just because the rules don't cater for more than two players doesn't mean that third guy is not going to appear and wreck __**both**__ your days ..."_  
_- Warmaster Horus_

_On the craftworld of Otogsc there is but one law: "Ignore thy fluff". The Eldar of this craftworld have rigidly adhered to this simple law for thousands of years, and aren't about to change it any time soon. Regardless, the Primarch Lorgar finds himself following the Fallen Phoenix Lord Arhra through the twisting gardens of what passes for the central government in this craftworld. _

**Lorgar:** "I think I understand everything now ... although a couple of details are still lost on even **my** genetically-engineered intellect"

**Arhra:** "Relax, all will become clear soon enough. Remember to show the proper respect. The individual we are about to meet is an extraordinary man"

**Lorgar:** "For an Eldar to say that he must be something special"

**Arhra: **_Glances at Lorgar over his shoulder._ "Hey ... we're not all stuck-up snobs you know"

**Lorgar:** _Raises an eyebrow quizzically. _

**Arhra:** _Pauses for a moment._ "Well ... yeah we are, but some of us less than others" _He stops before a suitably ornate door decorated with Eldar runes that probably mean something mundane like 'Head Office', but they look cool anyway._ "Anyway, we're here"

_The door opens, and both Phoenix Lord and Primarch walk through. In the room beyond several powerful black-armoured knights stand around a seated figure in more black leather and skulls than should legally be allowed for a single individual to wear. It rises as the two walk in and spreads its arms wide. _

**Nagash:** "Ah ... welcome. Special invitation to the Primarch Lorgar; I'm so glad you could make it to our humble little base of operations here on this accursed vessel. Arhra, and I to assume all is proceeding as planned?"

**Arhra:** "How wonderfully cliché ... yes it's all going as you predicted. The Siege of Terra is on track as per The Plan, and the random forces of the Plot Hole are munching slowly through this galaxy as they should. The Imperium is already divided between fighting its many little wars completely unaware of the trap we're slowly springing"

**Lorgar:** "Wait! What's this? Who are you?"

**Nagash:** "Er ... Nagash? What are you, stupid?"

**Lorgar:** "Oh ... sorry I didn't recognise you without that stupid hat"

**Nagash:** "Yeah. New sculpt is the bitch ... now ... where were we? Tell me Lorgar, do you fancy toppling the Imperium?"

**Lorgar:** "Well ... I feel bad saying this considering all fun we had last year ... but I've spent my life in dedicated worship of Chaos. Lelith would **kill** me if I passed up an opportunity like this to ally with somewhat suspicious characters to destroy a common enemy ... wait did I just say that?"

**Nagash:** "Yeah, and you can't go back on some character progress now"

**Lorgar:** "Can I retcon it?"

**Nagash:** "No"

**Lorgar:** "Apply my own personal continuity?"

**Nagash:** "No, official canon only here ... and I can't believe I said that considering the parody aspect of this whole damn script"

**Lorgar:** "Well ... I suppose this is in-character ... so" _He holds out his hand._ "I guess this makes us partners in galactic domination"

**Nagash:** _Takes the hand and shakes it. _"I guess this does. Glad to have you on board"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_The bikes race down the hill towards the Ork horde. Spears held like lances, the White Scars smash into the Orks and impale their soft xenos hides on the pure, straight rods of the Astartes (wow ... that sounds __**wrong**__ on reflection ...). At the front leads the Khan – greatest of the White Scars and all-round awesome dude._

**Khan:** _penetrating gaze smash Ork penetrating gaze behead Ork penetrating gaze_

_Watching this action, the Salamanders turn their mighty guns to the horde and unleash heck, their meltas burning through Ork flesh like a hot knife through butter._

**Vulkan:** "Going smoothly. I love the smell of melta in the morning ... smells like ... hot air ..."

**Garlock:** "Bloody 'ell ... glad der not me boyz down dere!"

_Indeed they aren't, in case you're wondering. The hordes of the Plot Hole have so far revealed themselves to be Orks, for reasons of their own are now fighting for the malevolent entity of narrative discontinuity. Their eyes glow with unholy fire, and for narrative purposes only have been painted in a different colour to distinguish them from Garlock's own troops._

**Vulkan:** "KILL THE XENOS! Er ... no offence"

**Garlock:** "None tak'n. Bloody 'ell! Wat's dat fing?"

_He points into the distance, beyond the massed units of Orks at a tall figure atop a great steed. Wielding six swords in his six arms, there's no mistaking the creature._

**Vulkan:** "That appears to be Fulgrim ... er ... leading the enemy forces ... would someone like to ring his mobile and ask what the **** he thinks he's doing?"

**Fulgrim:** "BROTHERS! BOW DOWN TO OUR NEW MASTER! HIS NAME IS INSANITY, AND HE MAKES NO SENSE! HE IS PLOT HOLE, AND WE ARE ALL SLAVES TO HIM!"

**Vulkan:** "I would ask what he's been smoking, but I probably won't like the answer ..."

**Garlock:** "Wat ar ye gonna do?"

**Vulkan:** "Just because he's my brother doesn't mean I'm not going to kick his ass. It didn't stop me before, and it won't now. SALAMANDERS – CHARGE! Oh and for the Imperial Truth's sake Bauer stop torturing yourself ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Ferrus Manus:** "Are we all assembled?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Indeed, allow me to introduce you all to my elite crack team of specialists"

**Alpharius:** "Specialists in what?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Turns and smiles._ "Lets not go into details ..." _He points to the first individual. _"Kruellagh the Mildly Unpleasant"

**Kruellagh:** _Looking ruffled._ "I prefer 'Vile'. 'The Vile'"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I'll use it when you've earned it dear, moving on ..." _He places a hand on the shoulder of the next. _"You know Lelith?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "My second favourite sister-in-law"

**Lelith:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "Second?"

**Alpharius:** "Er ... how are the kids?"

**Lelith:** "They're fine. Leading their first armies in cross-sector genocidal warfare this year"

**Alpharius:** "Don't they grow up fast?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "And anyway ... this is Urien Rakarth, my master stylist"

**Urien Rakarth:** _Holds up vicious scissor hands._ "Any style you want ... I'm a **master** with the hair ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "And finally we have Decapitator"

**Decapitator:** "DECAPITATION!!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "And that's all he can say ... exciting isn't it? This is my team ... team STARFUC-"

**Lelith:** "Ahem"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Star**fethers** then ... you're as bad as your husband"

**Alpharius:** "Team Starfethers, I like it. I can't help but feel, however, we've missed someone ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Arhra:** _Looks up._ "Someone talking about me?"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The lines are being drawn, the armies chosen, and the deployment method rolled for (but no one's using Kill Points) ... who will win this titanic struggle?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	121. Chapter 121

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE**

"_My Sons; to arms! Defend the Palace! Defend the Emperor! Defend the deluxe sport gymnasium!"_

_- Rogal Dorn, at the Second Siege of Terra_

_We at last return our gaze to this magnificent and epic battle; where the very fate of the galaxy balances on the courage of mere hundreds against countless billions of undead souls under the enslaved command of the Lich King. How mighty these warriors must be, how noble and magnificent as they ..._

_... lounge on sunbeds. I'm sorry, I forgot who I was talking about for a moment there ..._

**Horus:** "Hey! No need to be like that" _Takes a sip from his freshly-cooled can of beer. _"We've finished our parts ages ago while you were prattling on about something else (which didn't feature me, and was therefore unimportant)"

**Hecate:** _Enjoying the rays of sunshine that poke through the clouds. _"We could help him"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Reading a military magazine. _"Don't be stupid; dad will just throw a tantrum and sulk in a basement somewhere for weeks if we help him out"

**Horus:** "Best if we just leave him to it"

**Hecate:** "But they've been fighting for **days** now. I could have had my hair done while those two have been beating each other around the heads with building structures"

**Horus:** "Best use of skyscrapers **ever!**"

**Hecate:** "Oh you're easily pleased" _She returns her attention to her nails, and notes with disgust that one of them has chipped, probably during the earlier encounter with a random Lich. _"Bets for when he finishes?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Ten k says he beats Arthas before the end of this chapter"

**Horus:** "Fifty says Lastie drags this out for another few" _After a few moments of silence, Horus looks over and grins. _"Not going to make a bet?"

**Hecate:** _She grins. _"Seeing one of you two proved wrong is reward enough for me" _Looking at her nails again, she continues:_ "Seeing your egos deflate is like watching a world suffer Exterminatus; dramatic and **very** satisfying in a strange and macabre way"

**Horus:** _With as much sarcasm as he can muster:_ "Dearest sister, where would we be without you?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Reading his magazine again; the immense action before him now quite boring._ "In a place a lot less full of irritation, that's for certain"

**Hecate:** _Leans over, wearing a sadistically childish smile on her face, and whispers: _"Bananas"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Hurls the magazine across a continent in anger. Wind friction causes the pages to burn up during transit. _"THEY ARE NOT BANANAS! THEY ARE THE **IMPERIAL FIST** SPACE MARINES! OUR LOYALTY IS ABSOLUTE! OUR COURAGE IS BEYOND QUESTION! OUR-"

**Horus:** "Colour scheme is bright yellow"

**Rogal Dorn:** "SCREW YOU! YOUR LEGION ARE A BUNCH OF WHINY EMOS!"

**Horus:** _Cups his ears with his hands._ "Sorry? I couldn't hear you over the sound of how awesome my paint scheme is ... or alternatively the _My Chemical Romance_ playing on my mp40k player"

**Rogal Dorn:** "YELLOW IS A TACTICALLY ADVANTAGEOUS COLOUR SCHEME!"

**Hecate:** "Of course it is ... if you were fighting in a giant bowel of custard"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Folds his arms over his chest; it seems the great Primarch is sulking._ "It's a good colour scheme ..."

**Hecate:** _Leans over and places an arm over Dorn's shoulders._ "Aww ... is my brother upset because we took the mickey out of his Chapter colours? Aww ... poor Rogal"

**Horus:** _In an equally condescending tone of voice. "_Poor Rogal"

**Abaddon:** _Walking up behind the Primarchs with a select few of his elite chosen bodyguard._ "What's the big yellow fool done now?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Big yellow **what?!?**"

**Horus:** "Now Ezekyle; remember your betters! It's 'Lord Fool'"

**Abaddon:** _Bows before Horus._ "My apologies my lord" _Bows before Dorn._ "My lord fool"

**Horus:** _Before Dorn could reply to this latest insult._ "You took your time getting down here"

**Abaddon:** "My apologies my lord, but we were delayed by plot contrivances. I tried to establish a strong sense of narrative continuity, but was foiled until now"

**Rogal Dorn:** "In Low Gothic please?"

**Abaddon:** "We were attacked by our own slaves turned into undead zombies. It seems the infected McDonalds products went far"

**Horus:** "Not surprised. The population of Terra is one part administrative staff and two parts homeless pilgrims. Neither party can particular afford much on their pitiful wages so something like McDonalds, where the whole concept of calling it 'food' is debatable, is perfect. I'm surprised we haven't seen more zombies"

**Hecate:** "Speaking of the Merican embassy, where are those useless C'tan?"

**Deceiver:** "Behind you"

_The Primarchs turn and gaze up at the floating C'tan, arrayed behind a table seemingly hovering in mid-air. Every so often all four would pick up a small piece of white card with a number painted on it and hold it up for all to see. Cheers and boos would occur from the massed zombies below, still locked in bitter struggle against the Custodes while the Emperor swung buildings at the Lich King. _

**Hecate:** "Are you ... are you **judging**?"

**Nightbringer:** "Just commenting, really"

**Outsider:** "Commenting with rectangular objects created from the brutalised remains of dead trees!"

**Void Dragon:** "It's called 'cardboard'. Although you wonder why Humans raise such a fuss when you use **their** flesh for the same purpose ..."

**Deceiver:** "Will you three shut up? I've missed that blow! From the looks of it Tracy landed a good one on Arthas"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"DON'T FETHING CALL ME 'TRACY'!"

**Deceiver:** "But it's his **name** ... not my fault his parents were particularly cruel ..."

_**Flashback ... some fifty or so thousand years ago ...**_

_**EMPEROR OF MANKIND'S MOTHER: "When you grow up you'll unite the galaxy in a period of unparalled brutality under the hypocritical guise of 'Truth', then get your ass handed to you by the greatest of your genetically engineered offspring and spend ten thousand years attached to a gradually failing life support system while omniscient entities from another dimension slowly eat your mind ... doesn't that sound like fun Tracy?"**_

_**Fast forward ...**_

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Pausing for breath as Arthas picks himself up out of the continental crust. _"I hate you mum ..."

**Horus:** "I think he's winning ..."

_There's an almighty sound akin to the movement of continents, and the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! falls from the sky into the ground with the force of a small nuclear bomb. _

**Hecate:** "Hey ... is it legal to hit someone with the inner core of a planet?"

**Arthas:** _Calling out as he swings the solid mass of metal. _"I'll put it back I promise!"

_From deep within the immense crater, the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Gives the Lich King the finger._

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Who will win this climatic fight? Place your bets please (Hecate wants to fund her next wardrobe expansion)!_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	122. Chapter 122

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO**

"_Toil once for the rune of Sanctity. Toil twice for the rune of Blessing. Toil thrice for the rune of Purity, and toil once more to announce it's lunch break and we can all feth off to the pub"_

_- Techpriest Litany of Work_

_The great mountain of metal still in his hands, the being known as the Lich King gently lowered himself to the edge of the massive crater, within which the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Slowly dragged himself to his feet (immersed, as they were, within the lava seeping out from the gaping wound in the planetary crust). _

**Lich King:** "Face it Tracy; you were always a poor second to my glorious visage of awesomeness. Geeks everywhere adore me; they worship my image as the definition of what they'll never be – cool and full of win. What are they? Fat obnoxious ****s who play female Night Elves and avoid wearing as much clothes as possible, but they **fuel** me Tracy. The pathetic desires of nerds everywhere gives me power, and it is with this power that I shall extinguish your inconsequential existence!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**_Dragging himself to his feet. "_What did you call me Arthas?"

**Lich King:** "Inconsequential ... Tracy. No one cares about you; your Space Marines fight in your name but their hearts fight for their Primarchs. The Ministorum sings your praise, but they worship a concept you reviled. The Imperial Guard slays billions every day in your name, but none know you except as a myth; a legend warped by time into a figurehead for a movement that has no purpose. An empire without growth, stagnating in a cesspool of its own idiosyncrasies. This is your glorious empire Tracy! This Gothic monstrosity! This Imperium of Man!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Bleeding from multiple wounds that refuse to heal despite his great powers."_Shut up. Shut up! You have no idea what you're talking about!"

**Lich King:** "The Imperium of Man! A glorious empire devoted to the greatest aspects of Humanity! Warped into a mocking reflection of all your greatest failings! Anger, fear, hate, greed; all wrapped up in that nice cosy basket of religious fanaticism. All in **your** name. How does it feel Tracy? How does it feel to see your dreams, your desires, mocked in this manner by the very people you gave your life to save?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Shut up!"

**Lich King:** "How does it feel?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I SAID SHUT UP!"

**Lich King:** "HOW DOES IT FEEL TRACY?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Losing it completely. _"I HATE THEM ALL! I HATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BASTARDS!" _Regaining some composure, but losing none of his rage._ "I relished every one of those back-stabbing bastards I killed today. Every life extinguished ... I **enjoyed**" _His expression changes into one of sorrow._ "What does that make me?"

**Lich King:** "Human"

_Horus runs to the edge of the crater and calls down:_

**Horus:** "Father!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Turns and snarls._"Don't call me 'father'! You, who betrayed my vision! You, who stole my best **god-damn lines!** How dare you speak to me! **How dare you**!"

**Horus:**_ Taken aback somewhat. "_Dad?"

_Rogal Dorn and Hecate arrive by Horus' side along with the Custodes Guard and Abaddon._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You're all disappointments! Every single on of you! Horus; you're too damned **egotistical!** Dorn; you're too damn **stubborn!** And Hecate ... cover yourself up woman and get some proper armour ... and a sense of **decency!**"

**Horus:** "What are you saying dad?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I don't know why I didn't see it before ... this Imperium is corrupt ... it's an abomination ... an abomination that must be **destroyed!**"

**Hecate:** "That's crazy! It's Arthas! He's done something to you!"

**Lich King:** _Holds up his hands in a gesture of innocence._ "Wasn't me!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"No ... I see now ... so simple ... the Plot Hole must be aided ... it will devour all of this galaxy ... return us to our rightful existence ... fill in the blanks ... retcon that which must be retconned ... Remlaan Rett will show the way ... he knows all ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** "OK ... dad's gone psycho ..."

**Abaddon:** "Was he all there to begin with?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Isn't that a little 'pot calling the kettle black' there?"

**Abaddon:** _Considers the notion of hypocrisy. _"Ah ... fair point"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Praise be the Plot Hole!" _He begins to ascend in a pillar of light._

**Lich King:** "Hey ... I was just trying to mess with your head! I wasn't actually trying to get you to join **their** side!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"This galaxy ..." _He vanishes into the light, leaving his parting words for those assembled to hear._ "... will be **retconned**"

_In the silence that follows, only one person speaks:_

**Horus:** "It would have been more dramatic if he said something like 'destroyed' or 'obliterated'. 'Rectonned' just isn't scary"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Are you joking? The entirety of our reality is about to be re-written and-" _He points the finger at Arthas._ "It's entirely **your fault**!"

**Lich King:** "Hey, as I said I didn't do anything. I was just messing with him when he went all schizo on us. I don't do mind games; I just destroy civilisations and promote equality for those of an undeath nature in my spare time"

**Hecate:** "Then where did he go?"

**Night Haunter:** "Perhaps I can answer that, dear sister?"

_All spin dramatically on the spot to gaze up at Night Haunter as he perches amongst the ruin buildings with a host of the Night Lords Legion._ _There's something different about him, more so than the usual 'God this guy's freaky' sort of way. It's not particularly pleasant._

**Horus:** "Curze! What the hell do you mean? Where have you been?"

**Hecate:** "When did you get here?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "And why didn't you help out earlier?"

**Night Haunter:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "Curze? This individual does not exist ... there is only Night Haunter"

**Horus:** "Are you insane too? Is this fething **contagious** or something?"

**Night Haunter:** "I serve a new master now, as does our father. The Plot Hole demands your obedience ... and Remlaan Rett will show the way ... his words are law ... he sees all and knows all ... and his servants will pave the way with the Gospel in black and gold"

**Horus:** "OK ... guys I'm getting **creeped out**"

**Night Haunter:** "Soon you will heed the call-"

**Hecate:** "We have no intention of doing anything you **psychopathic bald freak!** Honestly, were you dropped on the head as a child or something?"

**Night Haunter:** _Cocks his head to one side and regards his siblings for an uneasy length of time._ "You will not join us?"

**Horus:** "Will '**Hell no!**' suffice?"

**Night Haunter:** _Stands up and produces two huge energy-wreathed lightning claws._ "Then you will die"

**Horus:** "I've been hearing that a lot recently ... still haven't seen it happen"

**Lich King:** "No worries – if you die I'll just resurrect you. Any qualms about the undead template?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Wait ... you're fighting **with us **now?"

**Hecate:** "He's not on their side dear, do keep up"

**Lich King:** "I'm not on your side either. I've already seen my world die to the Plot Hole, and I've no intention of seeing it win again"

**Horus:** _Grins a feral smile._ "Works for me. Today's my lucky day; I get to kick **quality ass**!"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_What the hell? Who's on who's side? Even I'm lost here folks ... _  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	123. Chapter 123

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE**

"_War this, war that, I've had it with war! You know what I wanted to be when I was a kid? I wanted to drive an ice cream van around the universe. Yes – an ice cream van. Well screw you"_

_- Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon_

_War consumes us all; the great destroy of civilisations. Consuming worlds as countless billions (which, on reflection, is a number and so somewhat contradicts the 'countless' part) die, sacrificed upon the alter of war! War consumes us all in the dark future of the 42nd millennium, where every world is engulfed in war. War is everywhere; outside your house, down the road, at the corner shops, in the country next door ... it's everywhere. War, the great destroyer of civilisations, is everywhere. War is-_

**Horus:** "Oh will you shut the **** up! Gods-damned narrative ..." _Turns his attention back to his brother Konrad Curze. _"So ... it's finally happened?"

**Night Haunter:**_From atop his perch. _"Indeed it has brother"

**Horus:** "You've finally found someone or something as emo as you to follow like a little lost bald puppy. Congratulations, I guess your ass-kicking is in order?" _Retrieves his mighty weapon, forged in the darkest depths of the Warp and with two of his greatest champions attached to it._ "Without the narrative getting in the way?"

**Night Haunter:** "Agreed. We shall provide our own narrative, in the fashion of true warriors. I activate my lightning claws – SHINE SLITTERS OF WRISTS!"

**Horus:** "I activate my own weapon – GO LUNA BLADES OF THE WOLF! I spin around on the spot and unleash the fury of my wrath!"

**Torgaddon:** "We spin around with him and flail ineffectually with our pitiful power weapons"

**Horus Aximand:** "What he said ... only I do it with more style, and a lot less ineffectual"

**Night Haunter:** "I leap forth from my high advantage point and drive home the claws of your doom! EMO SLASH ATTACK!"

**Horus:** "I evade EMO SLASH ATTACK and reply with a move of my own – RAGE OF A THOUSAND TON EGO!"

**Night Haunter:** "I counter your pitiful attack and reply with one of my own!"

**Hecate:** "Countered, effortlessly. I pause and look gorgeous"

**Night Haunter:** "I remove this unwanted interruption with FALCON PUNCH!"

**Hecate:** "Horror! I fail to counter and -GERGH!!! ... so glad I don't have a womb ... I crumple to the floor in a melodramatic manner"

**Rogal Dorn:** "I RAGE!! at seeing my sister treated in such a manner, especially by our slightly unhinged sibling. I summon forth the BANANA SKIN!"

**Night Haunter:** "I slip on the banana skin and fall backwards, leaving myself vulnerable to a counter attack!"

**Horus:** "I seize advantage of your sudden vulnerability to perform MEGA-TON EGO HAMMER!"

**Night Haunter:** "I suck it up like a pansy and cry, smearing my mascara. Damn you Horus! I spent hours this morning perfecting that look!"

**Horus:** "I laugh at you and your silly mascara, and stand before you a pillar of masculinity!"

**Hecate:** "I sit on the floor undecided whether to moan in pain or laugh myself silly at the testosterone being flung around"

**Horus:** "I give my sister a look to convey my displeasure at her mirth, then I return my attention to my traitorous brother!"

**Night Haunter:** "Who carefully picks himself up from the ground and gives his brother the evil stare ... which isn't quite as effective when there's long black trails down your cheeks"

**Horus:** "I laugh"

**Hecate:** "As do I ... then immediately regret it when the pain in my stomach returns"

**Rogal Dorn:** "I charge at Curze alongside the Brave Warriors of the Astartes!"

**Brave Warriors of the Astartes:** "We charge!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "I smite Curze with the burning rage of my hammer ... and my anger too"

**Night Haunter:** "I take it like a Primarch, and dish out my own – THOUSAND PAIN-FUELLED CUTS!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "I reel in shock as I am injured"

**Brave Warriors of the Astartes:** "We die by the hundreds"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Each death of my sons tears at me ... I lament each individual loss"

**Night Haunter:** "While you lament I sneak attack for an extra +22d6 damage!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Curses! Sneak attack **hurts**! I fall to the ground bleeding"

**Night Haunter:** "I laugh ... ha ha ha!!"

**Horus:** "... dude you **suck**"

**Night Haunter:** "I ignore that comment"

**Hecate:** "But how can you ignore something you've just commented on?"

**Night Haunter: **"Er ... I summon ... THE NARRATOR!"

**Horus:** "When I just banished that guy?!?"

_Indeed ... it appears I'm back. _

**Hecate:** "Oh thank goodness ... I was getting tired of standing around **pretending** to be gut-punched by my brother"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Nice one Konrad, now we **have** to fight"

_Indeed, it turns out our heroes were merely milling about having a smoke while describing the previous acts of violence and mayhem. I apologies if you were misled by their verbal antics. _

**Horus:** "**I'm** not apologising ..."

_Nor did I expect you to. Now fight properly._

**Night Haunter:** "Guess there's no avoiding it, now I **have** to own you all"

**Horus:** _Striking a pose with his weapon._ "You can **try**"

_The hundreds of Space Marines that did not, unfortunately, die, strike a pose and attempt to look intimidating. The action begins._

_In order to save repeating myself, they end up doing exactly what they described above. Almost. We cut back to the action to find Horus, Hecate, and Rogal Dorn kneeling, bleeding amidst a sea of corpses. Night Haunter stands triumphant. _

**Night Haunter:** "In what universe could you ever have beaten me?"

**Horus:** _Looks up, blood streaming down his face, and smiles. _"In this one Konrad"

_As he utters those words, the ruined buildings around them come alive with lithe and agile creatures brandishing hi-tech weaponry. All pointing at Night Haunter and the surviving Night Lords marines. A figure strolls out from seemingly nowhere._

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Sorry we're late; traffic in the webway this time of day is abysmal"

**Night Haunter:** "You asked the **Eldar** for **help**?!?"

**Horus:** _Picking himself up from the ground._ "I felt I should do something my enemies would never expect. Hence I asked for some help. Shocking ... I know, but quite effective it seems. Eldrad, would you mind?"

_One hail of Starcannon fury later, Night Haunter stands alone._

**Night Haunter:** "My sons! All dead! What have you done Horus?!?"

**Horus:** "What had to be done ... now tell me ... what is the Plot Hole hoping to accomplish? Who is this 'Remlann Rett'? What does **he** want? Lastly ... clean off that make-up you look **ridiculous**"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Will all be explained? Will we get __**answers?!?**__ Will I be able to post a chapter on the right day on time?!?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	124. Chapter 124

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR**

"_War is hell, but not nearly as hellish as peace is. War generates good entertainment; peace just encourages crap like _Big Brother_"_

_- Commissar Yarrick_

_As the sun punches through the thick clouds surrounding the battlefield of what was 'down town' Palace district, our heroes gaze down at the defeated traitorous Primarch Konrad Curze. Horus stands and summons his mighty ego to fuel a victory tirade the likes of which have never been seen (or, most likely, never will be. Unless Horus manages to beat the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! any day soon). _

**Horus:** _Opens his mouth, taking in vast amounts of the dust-filled air around him in the process. His genetically enhanced lungs don't even break a sweat to deal with it, which is handy as bursting into fits of coughing right now would be highly embarrassing. _"You're defeated, Curze!"

_There is silence._

**Night Haunter:** "That it?"

**Horus:** "Er ... why yes, that is indeed 'it'. I felt it blatantly obvious that I am the shining pinnacle of awesomeness and you are the incarnation of fail, so I saw no reason to state it"

**Hecate:** "Except through the guise of an answer to the question you **knew** we would all ask"

**Horus:** _Cups his ears._ "Hear that, dearest sister? That's the sound of my awesomeness. Feel free to take your time and remember it for future reference"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Please don't; his ego's large enough"

**Hecate:** "And it keeps **growing**"

**Lich King:** _Appearing from seemingly nowhere._ "Sorry about that. Seemed to have suffered a bad case of 'narrative existence failure' (in other words the author forgot I existed last chapter). What did I miss?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Only the greatest battle man has ever seen"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Which **I** finished, thank you very much"

**Hecate:** "Only because a certain someone thought it a good idea to ask you. What **were** you thinking, by the way oh dearest brother of mine?"

**Horus:** "Well-"

**Night Haunter:** "I hate to interrupt, but I would like to point out one small matter which you might have overlooked" _The others raise a collective eyebrow. _"I have prescience"

**Horus:** "So?

**Night Haunter:** "I saw this little manoeuvre of yours coming, and had my men wait in ambush for your Eldar allies" _As he says this hundreds of Night Lord marines appear from the dust behind the Eldar warriors, boltguns raised high. _"Check, I believe"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "A well-played move, I will admit mon-keigh. However you failed to take into account that **I too** have prescience, and deliberately sent out some of **my** troops to lay in wait for your ambush of my main force" _As he says this hundreds of Aspect warriors and Harlequins appear from the dust behind the Night Lords._

**Night Haunter:** "Nice counter. Unfortunately I had seen that one coming too, and took the liberty of putting some of my troops in reserve before the battle began to counter this ambush of **my** ambush. They should be arriving ... now" _And indeed several Deathclaw drop pods land and disgorge Night Lords __**behind**__ the ambushing Eldar. I might need to draw a diagram soon ..._

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Well played again, I might start calling you 'Human' and not some daft derivative of the English word 'monkey'. However I foresaw this too, and made sure to booby-trap your Deathclaws with irate psychic cats" _As he mentions this, dozens of angry purple psychic cats pour out of the Deathclaws and attack the Night Lords._

**Rogal Dorn:** "Is anyone else getting shades of _Bill & Ted_ here?"

**Hecate:** "I know what you mean, but there can be only one victor here ..."

**Night Haunter:** "And it is I! For I knew you would do all this, and had you replaced by a Callidus assassin under my command!"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** _Her disguise melting into her default form._ "Ah ... touché my lord"

**Night Haunter:** "M'Shen, my dear. You never fail me"

**Horus: **"Wait, if she's an assassin, then what are all those Eldar?" _They too flow and merge into new forms, that similar of the Callidus assassin already standing beside Night Haunter_. "Oh ... well that answers that question"

**Night Haunter:** "Oh, and by the way. Those Astartes of yours?" _They change form into Callidus assassins also._

**Hecate:** "Oh now that's just **ridiculous! **Are we really supposed to believe that the Astartes we've been fighting alongside for the last dozen or so chapters were really just Callidus assassins in disguise, waiting for **you** to turn up and reveal their real identities?"

**Lich King:** "What about my guys?"

**Night Haunter:** "Oh they're **yours**. No way are **my** precious assassins pretending to be dirty Blizzard exports"

**Lich King:** "Charming. We look a little outnumbered here folks"

**Horus:** "Several hundred Night Lords, several hundred assassins, and one Primarch? Meh, I would feel sorry for them if I knew how to feel sympathy"

**Night Haunter:** "Don't be too assured of your victory Horus, I took the liberty of taking control of the orbiting vessels via infiltrating my assassins amongst their crew"

**Hecate:** "Just how many fething Callidus assassins do you have?"

**Night Haunter:** "Not as many as I have Vindicare, and they're all out on a different mission" _His face darkens._ "To kill my siblings ... now we start with you" _He lifts a comm unit to his mouth._ "Target my co-ordinates, and fire"

**Hecate:** "But you'll kill yourself!"

**Night Haunter:** "Oh really?" _His face shifts, and lo and behold! It's another Callidus assassin. _"I serve my master, as we all do"

**Horus:** "Oh you have got to be **joking**!"

_The missiles tear through the clouds and strike the ground nearby, and everything is engulfed in fire and devastation. _

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Several hundred thousand light years away, Roboute Guilliman looks up from where he casually writes some additions to his best-selling Codex: Astartes._

**Marneus Calgar:** "What is it, my lord pimp?"

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Something terrible has just happened ... I felt a great disturbance in the Force ... as if a thousand voices cried out in anger and were silenced by my awesome style ... except I didn't silence them ... and it's more of a 'dead' kind of silence than a 'wow that's a **pimping** coat'"

**Marneus Calgar:** "What do you think it could be?"

**Roboute Guilliman:** _As he talks, several hundred miles away, two hundred scopes line up his great presence in their sights. _"I don't know ... but I think this could be a bad turn of events ..."

_Those two hundred scopes turn into two hundred fingers that pull two hundred triggers, and send two hundred specialised bullets hurtling to their destination ..._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Fulgrim stands in the centre of a sea of bodies. Dead space marines and Orks mingle ... quite often internally as well as externally. At the centre the bodies of Vulkan, Corax, and Jaghatai Khan. Their lifeless eyes staring up at their traitor brother as he slithers and gloats._

**Fulgrim:** _Holding up a sword to his ear._ "What's that Plot Device? I did well? The Plot Hole will be pleased?" _He holds up another sword._ "What's that Plot Contrivance? I did poorly? Well **screw you**! I'm **gorgeous**!" _He becomes aware of a presence behind him, and turns and smiles. _"It's as you said; they were weak ..."

**Grom Hellscream:** _Standing behind Fulgrim, he glows with dark and mysterious energy ... or it could just be the poor lightning effects I'm using for this scene._ "All who fail to worship the Plot Hole shall be cut down; their blood shall pave the way for our advance! I was dead, now I breathe once more! It gave me life, and I shall repay this blood debt with the dying screams of a galaxy. What say you, my brothers?"

_Countless Orcs bellow their agreement. Several hundred Emperor's Children marines feel pressured to say something, but they take forever to agree on the perfect response._

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The Great Enemy is slowly revealed! With the identity of their powerful generals known, and with several of our heroes seemingly __**dead(!!)**__ what can save the 40K universe as we know it from certain narrative destruction?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	125. Chapter 125

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE**

"_Exterminatus – the great equalizer"_

_- Inquisitorial mantra_

_In the darkest recesses of the universe there exists a place so horrible as to be beyond description, so mind-crushingly inhuman as to defy comprehension. This place is known by many names, but for our purposes we'll call it Fulgrim's flat. Approaching this dark, dreaded place of horrors creep our brave heroes, led by the indomitable Alpharius (well, one of them at any rate). What heroic thoughts do these individuals contemplate? Let us ..._

**Taldeer:** "The narrative is **** and the humour fails so often it's kinda pitiful"

**Mephiston:** "Come on! How can you not like the way every single Primarch is portrayed as a complete loser with the single redeeming feature of being competent at hitting things ... er ... present company excluded of course"

**Alpharius:** "Why thank you. It's tough, you know, being the one shining feature out of an otherwise ****** parody"

_Ahem._

**Taldeer:** "Oh crap; the narrator's back!"

**Alpharius:** "About bloody time ..."

_Indeed, and you should be Omegon. I distinctly remember Omegon. _

**Alpharius:** "Maybe I was Alpharius pretending to be Omegon pretending to be Eldrad?"

**Jaina Proudmore:** _Holding her head in pain._ "Oh please don't start that again! Blizzard character, remember? I'm a very simple individual who likes simple stories and villains who have the common decency to dress appropriately and give off the odd evil cackle every now and again. All this 'grim darkness' is making me feel ill ... I wish I was back in Theramore Isle doing nothing except give the odd quest to some lucky adventurer ... I miss those days"

**Alpharius:** "They can come back quite easily if you keep talking, m'dear"

**Jaina Proudmore:** "Is that a threat? I warn you – Blizzard has a collective hard on for me that far surpasses their sad geeky love for a certain other independent and feisty female lead ... possibly because it's uncertain whether she still has the required organs left in one piece and un ... 'zergified'"

**Alpharius:** _Stops and looks back at her._ "Are you talking about my sister-in-law?"

**Jaina Proudmore:** _Stops in horror._ "Are you seriously suggesting she **married** one of you lot? I know 'villain insanity' has a lot to answer for in covering up the usual bad writing but **how** can you possibly **justify** that turn of events? How? This is not so much as character derailment than leaving the bloody tracks in **another bloody universe!**"

**Alpharius:** _Shrugs._ "Guess she likes Angron"

**Mephiston:** _Taking his turn to stop and stare in abject horror._ "Angron? How the hell can Angron get a girl? Not wishing to sound jealous, because I'm **not** owning to a very attractive Eldar woman who wanted an extraordinary large amount of sex on the way here-"

**Taldeer:** _Smiling to herself._

**Mephiston:** "-but **good God-Emperor on this Throne!**"

**Alpharius:** "Er ... 'Imperial Truth'. We're trying to re-establish the dull and vaguely philosophical view of pre-Heresy Imperium and stamp out all this nasty religion stuff"

**Mephiston:** _Pauses._ "But **GOOD GOD-EMPEROR ON HIS THRONE!**" _He ignores Alpharius wincing._ "how the **HELL **can Angron get a girl?"

**Alpharius:** "Have you met Kerrigan? 'Unhinged' doesn't begin to quite describe it ..."

**Jaina Proudmore:** "'In an age of madness, look to the madman to show the way'"

**Alpharius:** "Cute, but don't quote our scriptures to us. We try our best to ignore them at the best of times ..."

**Taldeer:** "So remind me why we're here?"

**Alpharius:** "Because I need to know. Why has Fulgrim turned against us?"

**Taldeer:** "I hate to break this brotherly bubble dear, but he **was** a Daemon Prince"

**Alpharius:** "I know but ... there was a **code** dammit! I mean we waged wars, we destroyed civilisations, but it was all ... a **bit of a laugh** really ... we never actually went as far as to kill each other ... permanently"

**Taldeer:** "Well I'm glad you lot were having fun – the rest of us were trying to save civilisation as we knew it"

**Mephiston:** "Agreed. Had I known how much of a narcissistic jerk my Primarch was I wouldn't have paid attention to what the Chaplain said in Chapel class every morning ..."

**Alpharius:** "Well yeah, Sanguinius is a jerk ... but that's beside the point"

**Jaina Proudmore:** "Can we ring the doorbell now? Only we've been standing outside the door for the last five dialogue exchanges"

**Alpharius:** "Good idea ..." _He rings. No one answers._ "Wasn't expecting anything anyway" _He kicks the door open and steps inside. _"Anyone home?"

_Silence replies._

**Taldeer:** "Nice descriptive text there, oh magnificent narrator ..."

_Would you like to try?_

**Alpharius:** "Quiet you two, I think I can hear something ..."

_I can't, and I'm __**writing**__ this!_

**Alpharius:** "This way" _He leads the band down corridors decorated with stuff that I can't mention else the moderators would ban me for life. Eventually they enter a small study decorated with beautiful paintings. One in particular stands out._

**A Painting of Fulgrim:** "Oh thank Slaanesh you've arrived! I was beginning to get quite bored here! Look some bloody Plot Device has run off with my body again!"

**Alpharius:** "Excuse me Taldeer while I stand here and look vindicated"

**Taldeer:** _Mutters something under her breath._

**Alpharius:** "I have a twin my dear – that's quite a possibility indeed"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Who is really in control of Fulgrim's body? What is the next step in Alpharius' plan (and which one is the __**real**__ Alpharius?)_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	126. Chapter 126

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX**

"_Amongst some of the lesser known Ork Warbosses of late have included such examples as 'Wazdrekkin the Useless', who, after securing the unquestioning loyalty of an entire Waaagh's worth of Orks, promptly got lost after taking the wrong turn at the Maelstrom. He turned up five centuries later with phasers and tricorders having had a fun time tearing up another universe. Modern Ork scholars (if such a term could be applied to such a species) have declare Wazdrekkin the first Ork to transcend franchise boundaries without the support of established cross-over fan fiction. The ensuring cult popularity born from this fact has given rise to the best-selling 'Captain Jean-Luc Wazdrekkin' line of action dolls"_

_- From 'Famous Ork Characters'_

_The strange machine goes 'gloop'. An equally strange device nearby goes ' gleep'. Somewhere, perhaps, there is a third machine that goes 'glaap' or some other variant on 'gl**p'. This, however, is completely random and totally unnecessary, and so we shall give it our attention no further. Let us pull out gaze back from these strange devices arrayed over a series of creatures whose only common link is the fact that they're all restrained, and view the figures currently enjoying the spectacle. _

**Ferrus Manus:**_ Points at the equipment. "_So what does this do again?"

**Urien Rakarth:** _The master Haemonculus twitches, as most of us do when some fool confuses _Star Trek _with _Star Wars_ and talks about Federation officers wielding lightsabers against the evil Borg and their Death Star (as cool as that sounds). _"Having explained this many times before, the last few occasions in painful detail, I shall not repeat myself. Go back-track in the chapters if you insist"

**Ferrus Manus:** "But you did all the explanations off-camera!"

**Urien Rakarth:** _This is the final straw, having experienced a __**very**__ long day (as Commorragh lacks a sun, and all light is provided artificially, the days tend to last __**very**__ long (no one bothers to turn off the lights)). _"I give up! The universe is not ready for my genius! I throw down the towel! I surrender to this insanity! I-"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Go have a nap. Ferrus – this machine here is extracting Plot Device from the bodies of tainted creatures we've kidnapped from the _Warcraft _universe" _He turns to one of Rakarth's assistants. _"Try one of the Fel Orcs first. They should have some of the highest concentrations of Plot Device"

**Alpharius:** "What kind of Plot Device are we talking about?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** _Having just walked in from training the elite troops of Vect's new anti-Plot Hole group. "_Magical Blood, if you would believe it. Can do everything from change eye colour to re-animate recently deceased dragonkind"

**Alpharius:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "Handy. So why our interest in it?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Hopefully our experiments here will provide you with a better answer than either the good doctor here-" _Rakarth scoffs._ "-or myself can provide. In the meanwhile; you've met our esteemed guest?"

**Alpharius:** "Not personally since you arrived. How's the insanity doing for you?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "When I'm not suffering the indignity of hordes of spotty, fat, virgin computer nerds slaying me repeatedly and stealing my hard-earned gear? Quite well thank you"

**Alpharius:** "I didn't realised Blizzard characters were capable of subtle sarcasm"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "I didn't realise Games Workshop characters were capable of clever wit either"

**Alpharius:** "Ah ... touché ... so how are the troops shaping up?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Under my tutelage they should be a fighting force without equal, although cross-over fictions tend to suffer unequal power levels by default. See DC versus Marvel for a casebook example"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Phoenix rules all"

**Alpharius:** "Shut up. Supe beats Phoenix"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Case proved. Has the extraction begun yet Rakarth?"

**Urien Rakarth:** "Done? I finished it five minutes ago while you lot were still bitching about who would win in a match up between the Justice League and the Avengers"

**Alpharius:** "What do you mean? We haven't discussed it that long!"

_I removed a large amount of excessive crap to streamline this chapter._

**Alpharius:** "This is _Primarchs._ Excessive amount of crap is the driving force behind it"

_I __**will**__ end this chapter early if there's any more cheek from the lot of you – now read your lines!_

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Ooh ... testy. So what have we found then? Anything remarkably interesting that justifies my being here instead of in my expensive penthouse suite ... with two mighty **fine** women ... **twins** they are! And **sex-starved** (possibly because of the whole 'imprisonment-from-birth' thing in the Arena dungeons ... but hey)! Give me a good reason to continue standing here listening to Horns McFailure, Mr Everyone, and /b/tard Anonymous argue western comics (when everyone knows eastern comics are far more entertaining (and have more sex))!"

**Urien Rakarth:** "The properties of the Pit Lord's blood is somewhat ... vague ... which is perfect for our purposes"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Which are again?"

**Alpharius:** "To find the only apparent way to defeat the Plot Hole. That vast repository of fictional creation known to lesser mortals ... as Fan W*nkery"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Wow ... that's impressive. I've never heard anyone pronounce an asterisk before ... so what the hell is Fan Wan-"

_**Lorgar:**__ Ahem_

**Ferrus Manus:** "Fan W*nkery?"

**Alpharius:** "Simply put: the ability of those not participant in the canonof a franchise to create fictional material to explain or otherwise expand upon elements not satisfactorily explained within canon itself"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Come again?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Fans make **** up to explain poor **** created by developers, or explain stuff that developers can't be bothered to explain ... like Draenei"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Ah ... I see ... so how does the demon blood help us?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "It's exact nature and properties are, as I said earlier, vague. It's indecisive narrative nature allows it to be used as a transit between canon and fanon ... er that's fan-made canon"

**Alpharius:** "In other words, with enough of the stuff **we **get the power to fill in plot holes ... and with enough of the stuff we can perhaps defeat the Big One"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Why not just use Merrett's laptop again?"

**Alpharius:** _Shakes his head._ "Not enough: Merrett's laptop only writes **canon**. We need material that doesn't follow the normal rules that the Plot Hole delights in devouring. We need stuff that's alien to it, stuff that doesn't follow the normal rules of what's official and what isn't. What we need is the rule-less insanity of fan-made material"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Like this series?"

**Alpharius:** "Lets not break the 4th Wall any more than needed"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_So __**this**__ is the next step in Alpharius' plan (but which one's the __**real **__Alpharius?) ..._  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_

_**Alpharius:**__ "No ... they seriously won't be"_


	127. Chapter 127

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN**

"_Eaten by bugs? __**US?**__ Don't make me laugh laddy! It take more than a lazy-ass games designer to kill us off, that be sure. Like ... __**Godzilla!**__ He can __**try**__ ... HA HA HA HA!"_

_- Anonymous Squat Ancestor Lord_

_The sounds of endless industry drive their way to the bone ... like sitting in a Costa coffee bar and listening to the mindless chav girls on the table next to yours discuss, __**in endless details**__, the __**mind-numbingly boring**__ aspects of their lives in their high-pitch voices with graining accents. Snobbish? Perhaps I am, but let us draw our attention to a small band of characters who possibly lead the largest standing army currently going:_

**Perturabo:** "Are those Squats?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Without looking up from the reams of paperwork spread across her desk, it's strange at how cute she looks with a small pair of glasses balancing on her Zerg-enhanced nose. _"Hmm"

**Perturabo:** "Is that an affirmative 'hmm' or a negative one?"

**Kerrigan:** "Hmm" _The paperwork continues to move. It's purpose unknown, but when dealing with the mysterious entities known as paper and the things written upon their surfaces, it's best not to ask too many questions ..._

**Perturabo:** _Pauses for a moment, then ... _"Angron says you're looking a little fat around the waist these days"

**Kerrigan:** "WHAT?"

**Perturabo:** "So you haven't **completely **zoned out then?"

**Kerrigan:** _Visibly irritated._ "What do you want?"

**Perturabo:** "What's with all the Squats?"

**Kerrigan:** "They're hard workers, and they know how to read schematics. Which is more than I can say for Ork Mekboyz"

**Perturabo**:"They don't need to read blueprints; they skip the design stage and go straight into building the crazy stuff that blows planets up. Building Death Stars come as naturally to them as rolling a d6 does to people like me" _Jingles the pair of adamantium d6s hanging around his neck. _"Especially this pair. Damn sweet when they're rolled. Take half the table out with them, though, but the look on your opponent's face? **Priceless**"

**Kerrigan:** "There's a word for people like you"

**Perturabo:** "Tell it to people who **aren't** psychic"

**Kerrigan:** _Mouths 'loser', then returns her attention to her ... shudder paperwork._

**Perturabo:** "Cheers ... oh and by the way? **I **was the one who spilt Chaos Black on your wedding dress" _To say that Perturabo makes his escape at high speed would be like saying the Grand Canyon is a rather large hole in the ground, or that Antarctica has a bit of snow. He moves so fast the air is taken by surprise, leaving a Perturabo-shaped vacuum where he once stood in his place for a few seconds. _

_Kerrigan, naturally, seethes._

**Angron:** _Innocently walking up behind her, having seen the wake that Perturabo left behind speed from the room. _"Was that my brother?"

**Kerrigan:** "Can't ... speak ... full ... sentences ... rage ... consuming ... all ... mental ... functions"

**Angron:** "Want me to find some random and vulnerable planet full of juicy civilisations for you to Zergling rush, dear?"

**Kerrigan:** "Would you? That'll be so sweet ..."

**Angron:** "I'll go consult the Red Pages" _[Author's Note:The Red Pages list all planets and their populations who might make level-appropriate targets for powerful overlords wishing to grind some XP. Angron's been a subscriber for millennia]_

**Kerrigan:** "Before you disappear off dear I was wondering if your brain surgeon Apothecaries could do some minor modifications on the Synapse creatures?"

**Angron:** "What sort of modifications?"

_Kerrigan explains._

**Angron:** "Nasty. It's at times like this that I remember why I married you"

**Kerrigan:** "That and I remind you of your mother"

**Angron:** "**Adoptive **mother. She taught me everything I needed to survive the arenas back when I was a lad. How to duck, how to weave, how to dodge ..."

**Kerrigan:** "Sounds like quite the woman"

**Angron:** "Oh she was .... nice breasts too" _Upon seeing Kerrigan's expression. _"Wrong thing to say?"

**Kerrigan:** "A little ... now I'm all squicked-out ..."

**Squat Over-Engineer:** "Then allow us to rectify that lass. We've finished!"

**Kerrigan:** _Her eyes lightening up._"It's complete?"

**Squat Over-Engineer:** "Aye. Ready for your command"

**Angron:** "So ... what is it?"

**Thrall:** _Walking into the room with Ghazghkull and several Ork/c Warbosses. _"It's a symbol of hope, of a new dawn. It's a Gargant created in the image of **both** Mork and Gork"

**Angron:** "Is that possible? Wouldn't the sheer Orkyness destroy the universe simply by existing?"

**Ghazghkull:** "Normally yes ... but in this case-"

**Perturabo:** _Poking his head around the corner._ "Let me guess ... plot hole?"

**Kerrigan:** _Running after Perturabo. _"Hey! You! Stay there! No don't run away! I just want to **beat you into a bloody pulp!**"

**Angron:** _Turning to one of the Squats._ "That's my wife there!"

**Squat:** "You can keep her mate"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Meanwhile, elsewhere in the galaxy, somewhere underground ..._

**Horus:** _Awaking, he lies on a simple bed. _"What? Where am I? Why does my head feel so light ... what happened? By the Gods! Curze! He betrayed us all! Father! Terra!"

**Arthas:** _Relaxing in a corner just out of Horus' field of vision. _"Ease up on the exclamation marks mate. You'll make them obsolete before we get a chance to talk about stuff that deserves them"

**Horus:** "Where am I? Have you done anything to me you bastard?"

**Arthas:** "Err ... yeah ... kind of"

**Horus:** _Reaching out._"What do you mean 'kind of?'" _Catches a glimpse of his rotting hand._ "What? No! Don't tell me I'm-"

**Arthas:** _Getting up and extending an equally dead-looking hand._ "Welcome to world of undeath, **Lichmaster Horus**"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_So Horus __**is**__ dead ... but not ... but is ... er ... I'm confused ..._  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	128. Chapter 128

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT**

"_Evolution is not an exact science; it's not really much of an art form either. Evolution is more of a slow car crash, where you stand at the side and hope something interesting happens. The end result often leaves much to be desired. Like men's nipples; bit pointless really"_

_- Fabius Bile, 'Musings on Many Inconsequential Things'_

_The great workshops of the self-proclaimed 'Biomancer' Fabius Bile are a collection of nightmares that would probably make Geiger sleep uneasily. Geneva Conventions are called to discuss the most mundane of inhuman experimentations that go on inside these workshops; the more 'interesting' experiments, as Bile describes them, would probably be enough to make the average Human rights activists' head explode. To say they're unpleasant is putting it mildly:_

**Bile Thrall 1:** "Shall we proceed to the next stage?"

**Bile Thrall 2:** "Indeed. Make note: subject will now be subjected to live and unceasing _Big Brother_ feed, replacing the previous 24 hour _Eastenders_ marathon from the experiment's last phase"

_See? Horrific. _

_Watching all this like some monstrous overlord is Bile himself, personally arriving to oversee his latest 'pet project' ..._

**Bile: **_Striding along with __**purpose.**_ "Has the child reached the post-foetal stage?"

**Bile Thrall 3:** "Er ... it looks like a baby ... yeah"

**Bile:** _Muttering to himself._ "Lifesigns healthy and functioning according to pre-established levels?"

**Bile Thrall 4:** _Struggling to keep up with the rest, and occasionally tripping over its own second left foot._ "It's sucking its dummy, my lord"

**Bile:** _Smiling triumphantly._ "Excellent! Sounds like another textbook case to send off to _Mad Scientist Weekly_!"

**Bile Thrall 4:** "Yes, my lord. I'm sure they'll love it"

_They approach a giant glass chamber, within which boils strange liquids of unknown properties. All assembled gaze intently at the single occupant of the chamber._

**Bile:** "What the hell?" _Checks his records, then looks at the chamber's occupant again._ "Is this the right chamber?"

**Bile Thrall 4:** "Quite certain, my lord. Unless we took a wrong turn back at the Zoatsquats ..."

**Bile:** _Stares at the records for several uncomfortable (for the Thralls at least) moments, then: _"What samples did you use?"

**Bile Thrall 3:** "Samples 666 and 818 as you requested, my lord"

**Bile:** _Back-hands Thrall 3, taking off one of its heads and leaving the other dazed. _"Idiot! You were holding the paperwork upside down! It's supposed to be samples 818 and **999**! Mortarion and the Keeper of Secrets Ev'rii!" _Looks at the baby again. _"Who does sample 666 belong to?"

**Bile Thrall 4:** _Looks at it's own paperwork._ "Er ... a 'Sarah Kerrigan', my lord"

**Bile:** _Pauses for a moment, then his eyes light up._ "Incredible! Seems we've accidentally made a Zerg-Primarch! Maybe I should congratulate the father ..."

_The gribbly little baby gurgles and swings a few scything talons around lazily._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Somewhere, far across the galaxy ... _

**Mortarion:** "My Man Senses are tingling ... something horrible has just happened ... I think I have 'responsibility'"

**Ev'rii:** _Snoozing._ "That's nice dear ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_High in orbit above Terra, the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! Stares impassively as the planet below is consumed by scorching inferno, unimaginable death, wholesale calamity, and rising petrol prices. His face is unreadable, his emotions unknown, his-_

**Konrad Curze:** "You look happy father"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Dammit!_ "I have chosen a path, my son. It is a path I did not realise I wanted until it was thrust upon me"

**Konrad Curze:** "Like rape"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Raises an eyebrow._ "Er ... yes ... quite. Changing the subject; when will I meet our new acquaintances? You have requested that I remain here for some time now, and frankly I tire of seeing the old home world burn in a death of its own making ... although don't get me wrong – watching a **planet** die is **always** entertaining"

**Konrad Curze:** "But not as fun as back-stabbing your own sons and species, eh?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"They deserved it! Pitiful creatures! They lack **power**! **Power I say!**"

**Konrad Curze:** "Excellent. You are losing the third dimension to your character. Soon you will join us as superior two dimensional individuals! We don't need such pitiful concepts as 'motivation' and 'reason'! We do things **because**! No other excuse is needed. Why do we seek to destroy this galaxy? **Because! Because!** Why seek a better reason?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I agree completely, my son! Soon the entire galaxy will be ours! I haven't given any further thought to this endeavourer, especially what to do with the galaxy when I eventually conquer it, but that's immaterial! Two dimensional characters **never** think beyond objective A"

**Konrad Curze:** _Lays a hand on the shoulder of his father._"I believe you're ready to meet the Council of Narrative Dissonance"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Interesting name; what exactly do they do?"

**Remlann Rett:** "WE DESTROY FRANCHISES!"

_Both the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! And Curze turn to regard the small Human before them with the loud voice. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Who the hell are you?"

**Remlann Rett:** "Your emissary to the Council of Narrative Dissonance, we who act as the Will and Voice of the Plot Hole! It is our responsibility to adhere to his wishes, and to act as he wills it. We are his eyes and ears, and his hands, to do with as he pleases. If he wants us to destroy universes, we shall destroy universes! If he wishes us to scratch his ass, we shall scratch his ass!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I'm not the ass-scratching type"

**Remlann Rett:** _Leans forward menacingly. _"Oh you will be ... **you will be**"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The horror! The horror! What's next for our heroes?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	129. Chapter 129

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE**

"_Story? Who cares about that! Give me __**money**__!"_

_- So Many People It's Scary_

_The great chamber stretches the length of a football (or soccer, if you believe that ridiculous game involving kelvar body armour and __**carrying**__ a ball is 'true football') pitch, yet the grand wooden table in the centre still somehow manages to occupy a vast amount of space. Around its edges sit a strange selection of individuals. Remlann Rett pulls out a chair and invites the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! to sit down. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Nodding at this proper display of protocol. _"So you are the Council of Narrative Dissonance?"

_A strange figure wreathed in glowing cloth wraps answers in a voice that echoes with the void between worlds (I have no idea what that would sound like, but it sounds cool)._

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Indeed. Allow me to express the Council's gratitude that you have chosen to join our legion of conquest. Permitt me to introduce you to our current Council members" _He gestures at a stunningly beautiful woman sitting beside the EMPEROR OF MANKIND!_ "This is Norma Cenva, current Empress Mary Sue. She hailed from a previous universe the Plot Hole devoured, that of the _Dune_ franchise"

**Norma Cenva (Empress Mary Sue):** "I am perfect in every way, and powerful beyond description. Use me for any Deus Ex Machinas or Author Filibusters you may wish me to perform. Rest assured that my characters will never have a bad aspect to provide any third dimension whatsoever"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Next we have Sauron, who wears the Plot Device ... or MacGuffin if you prefer"

_The shiny gold ring on the finger of Sauron speaks, in a rather posh English accent not too dissimilar to one a professor of language would use._

**THE ONE RING!: **"Good evening"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You have your name in capitals as well?"

**THE ONE RING!: **"Of course my dear fellow ... there is, after all, only **one** of me"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Just like me!"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Now we move to Deus Ex Machina and Mr Exposition ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Good grief! Dumbledore!"

**Albus Dumbledore (Mr Exposition):** "Why yes! Well spotted of you, good sir!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Fulgrim had a **huge** crush on you, it was quite scary. He still has a giant life-size replica of you made entirely from used ice-cream tubs"

**Albus Dumbledore (Mr Exposition):** _Tries to lean further away. _"That's ... quite ... disturbing" _Suddenly leans closer._ "Is this son of yours handsome and good-looking with a quiet rebellious streak?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You have no idea ..."

**Albus Dumbledore (Mr Exposition):** "Excellent" _Types a few numbers on his phone and lifts it to his ear._ "Hello? Harry? I'm afraid you're dumped. Yes ... you just can't satisfy me any more. I'm really sorry about this ... honestly ... now please don't cry ... please ... now you just sound pathetic, just like you sound just after we finish sex. I'm tired of all this crying teenage angst crap. Goodbye Harry" _Puts the phone down._ "So your son?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Is available, yes. And about nine thousand years older than you. That a problem?"

**Konrad Curze:** "This conversation has successfully squicked **me** out"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Times like this is where I'm glad to be nothing but an ethereal energy being with no biological matter"

**THE PLOT HOLE:** "ENOUGH WITH THE SQUICK! THE UNIVERSE WON'T CONQUER ITSELF YOU KNOW! TIME TO DESTROY THE IMPERIUM OF MAN ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

**Albus Dumbledore (Mr Exposition):** "Then I can go on a date!"

**THE PLOT HOLE: **"THEN YOU CAN ... YES ... WHATEVER ... SIGH"

**Remlann Rett:** "This calls for tea!" _He claps his hands, and a gangly bespectacled teenager appears carrying a tray of steaming liquids._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Who's that?"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Christopher Paolini. He practically **gave** his universe to the Plot Hole on a silver platter. So we let him make the tea as a reward"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"How many worlds has the Plot Hole conquered then?"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Many, since the first"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"The first?"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "The world where the Plot Hole comes from. It's birthplace, if you will. The greatest plot hole in fictional history"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:** "Which is?"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Well ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Painting of Fulgrim:** "This is incredibly humiliating"

_Lying on its side, the painting does a great impression of the great Primarch sulking like a little girl as Alpharius and Mephiston take either end of its immense size._

**Alpharius:** "Oh? And are you going to walk to the Thunderhawk by yourself?"

**Mephiston:** "Or magically levitate over there using nothing but the power of your mind?"

**Alpharius:** "Like **you** do that, Meph"

**Mephiston:** "Fair play, the Warp does most of the hard work, but the point remains ..."

**Painting of Fulgrim:** "Point remains that this is incredibly **embarrassing! **Put me down immediately! A Primarch, especially a Primarch like **me**, is not **carried like a piece of trade goods!**"

**Alpharius:** "How would you rather be carried then?"

_Five minutes later ..._

**Alpharius:** _Pausing to consider what Fulgrim has just been describing._ "Er ... no. No, no, a few more no's, some more no's, nots, definitely in no way whatsoever, in another time, another place, when hell freezes over"

**Painting of Fulgrim**:_Shrugs._ "Was worth a shot"

**Jaina Proudmore:** "That will take a while to try and bore out of my skull. Perhaps an arcane blast to the forehead might do it ..."

**Taldeer:** "Please, and rid us of yourself. It'll be a parting favour"

**Mephiston:** "Hey! No cat-fights while the men are occupied carrying a painting"

**Alpharius:** "There's no way we can enjoy it with this thing" _Jogs the painting, causing Fulgrim to fall over on his face._ "in the way" _Something starts beeping on his hip._ "Oh, excuse me for a moment Meph" _Not-so-gently drops the painting, causing Fulgrim, who had just picked himself up, to fall over again._ "Mind if I take this call in private?"

**Mephiston:** _Raising an eyebrow, but never the less saying:_ "Sure"

_Alpharius disappears into the expansive garden of Fulgrim's estate, and finds a secluded spot inside a maze that, when it was built, the architect promised Fulgrim was 'the perfect maze'. After failing to exit the maze in an attempt to prove to the Primarch how perfect it was, the architect was declared a genius posthumously. Unbeknownst to Fulgrim, Alpharius had bought the design off the Internet several millennia ago._

**Alpharius:**_ Talking into the small communication unit. _"Has he arrived?"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "We've just concluded our first meeting with him. He's doing well. He has everyone wrapped around his finger"

**Alpharius:** "Excellent. We've got a lot riding on the success of this plan-"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Not to mention vast fortunes ..."

**Alpharius:** "Let me worry about the money. You worry about continuing to maintain your guise as a member of the Council. If any of the others, or Gods-forbid the Plot Hole itself, suspect ..."

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "They won't. A little more time and you too will own 99% of your creator's stock, like me"

**Alpharius:** _Frowns._ "Who owns the remaining 1% of Blizzard?"

**Nexus-Prince Haramad:** "Those bloody Goblins!"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_What could Alpharius' plan involve for our heroes?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	130. Chapter 130

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY**

"_Smile, and the world smiles with you. Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Cry, and the world points and laughs __**at**__ you. Go crazy and kill everyone? Then __**you're**__ the one laughing"_

_- Khârn the Betrayer_

_Somewhere along the Cadian Gate, in a nameless pub (the pub does actually have a name, I just can't be bothered to think of one and frankly it's completely immaterial anyway. It's a pub, it has alcohol served inside. That's all you need to know), several familiar figures drink away their sorrow after a failed invasion of the Eye of Terror ..._

**Leman Russ:** _Raising a huge mug overflowing with beer (or, at least, a liquid that froths very much like beer ...) _"Here's to the Space Wolves! Long may we wage war, drink excessively, and indulge in fornication without restraint or heed to consequences!"

_A general huge cheer from the assembled Space Wolves almost shakes the building to its very foundation (estimated construction cost: £23.05, and an apple). Leman Russ gestures for silence with the traditional Space Wolf method of throwing a power axe into the wall, ensuring it almost misses as many people as possible._

**Leman Russ:** "Quiet ya log-heads! Let me speak and finish me speech! I spent several hours writing this, and hell if I'm not gonna be allowed to finish it! Now **shut up!**" _He appreciates the ensuring silence for several moments, then smiles. _"Now I know we failed to assault the traitor Magnus in his hide-hole, but fret not brothers! For today I propose a new crusade! A hunt to end all hunts, a task befitting space marines of our awesome nature! **I propose that we find the next poor sap to pay for the new round!**"

_The marines cheer, then quickly fall silent as they realise the deadly price one of them would have to pay (cost of round for entire chapter: £8,809,808.05). _

**Leman Russ:** "C'mon! One of ya volunteer, or I'll start pointing!"

**Mysterious Cloaked Figure:** _Standing in the doorway to the packed pub._ "I can pay"

**Leman Russ:** _Strains his ears._ "Say what?"

**Mysterious Cloaked Figure:** "I said I can pay"

**Leman Russ:** "Stop talking in a ominous whisper – I canna hear yer from here!"

**Mysterious Cloaked Figure:** _Throws back his hood._ "For the love of ... **I SAID I CAN PAY!**"

**Leman Russ:** _Smiles._ "Hear that lads? Next round's on Dorn!"

_Another great cheer rises up from the assembled Space Wolves, and the cloaked Dorn is almost mobbed by an entire chapter of genetically engineered men all wanting to inform him of their next alcoholic choice._

**Rogal Dorn:** _Throws the barman his credit card (_Imperial Express_). _"Whatever they want" _With the chapter re-directed to the bar, Dorn makes his way to where his brother stands with Ulrik, Ragnar, Logan, and Bjorn (the latter asleep and making strange snoring sounds). _"Brother, how has it been?"

**Leman Russ:** _Clasping Rogal Dorn's hand and shaking it furiously._ "Rog, ya old devil! Why you be here by yourself without your fellow banana marines?" _He sniffs the air._ "You be smelling funny ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** "It's called death"

**Leman Russ:** "You stink of it!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "That's because I'm currently in a state of undeath, brother" _He sees the reaction in Russ' face and laughs._ "Long story. Suffice to say you've missed a lot. Want me to help you catch up with the current plot arc?"

**Leman Russ:** _Looks at Dorn suspiciously._ "We have a plot in this story?"

_I wish they'd shut up about that ..._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Somewhere else in the universe (it's not like I've made up a galactic map with the characters positions plotted to the exact planet, continent, longitude and latitude) ..._

**Taldeer:** "Should we be doing this?"

**Mephiston:** _Straining to hear through the hedge he's leaning against. _"Shh! I'm trying to hear what Alpharius is talking about ... chickens? What the hell do chickens have to do with anything?"

**Alpharius:** "They taste good"

_Mephiston doesn't jump in surprise; marines are too well-trained for that (and he's frankly too badass to be caught by surprise). He does raise an eyebrow, however ..._

**Mephiston:** "Indeed they do. How long have you been here?"

**Alpharius:** "For a while ... I've been looking for an excuse to play that conversation for months"

**Mephiston:** "I've been listening to a recorded conversation through a hedge for the last hour?"

**Alpharius:** "In a word: yes"

**Taldeer:** "Enough with the games Alpharius! What's going on?"

**Alpharius:** "Do you want the truth or an elaborate lie?"

**Taldeer:** "You're talking to an Eldar, dear"

**Alpharius:** _Pauses for a moment._ "A well-made point. The truth and the elaborate lie are one and the same: I want to control this universe by buying up Games Workshop. Haramad owns most of Blizzard and he's helping me"

**Taldeer:** "How do you plan to accomplish this? You're a **fictional character**!"

**Alpharius:** "A minor detail. Regardless, our next destination is the Farsight Enclaves ... somewhere near the Damocles Gulf if my galactic geography is still intact ..."

**Taldeer:** "What do we need from Farsight?"

**Alpharius:** "His sword"

**Mephiston:** "Please don't tell me we're on the galactic equivalent of a shopping trip quest"

**Alpharius:** "Come on Meph; there's only two types of quests in games: kill A amount of B, or collect A amount of B, and sometimes you have to kill A amount of B to collect C amount of D"

**Mephiston:** "When did this turn into _Worlds of Warhammer 40,000_?"

_Alpharius points to the giant glowing silver question mark above his head._

**Mephiston:** "That's seriously not funny ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_What is this horror? Has the author's WOW addition finally corrupted PRIMARCHS? _  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	131. Chapter 131

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE**

"_So there I was, enjoying a _Starbucks_ coffee, when this fat loser comes up to me and says 'Hey! Aren't you the guy who blew up his own chapter?' _

_Can't people leave that alone?"_

_- Pedro Kantor, 'My Life As a Failure'_

_The Necron Immortal carefully scrutinises the Warrior standing before him at the entrance to the tomb world beneath. It raises a carefully sculpted head, and stares in dis contempt at the lesser being (too many resurrections clouds the mind, and all that jazz). _

**Immortal:** "010011001010100?"

**Warrior:** _Meekly_ "0111000110101"

**Immortal:** "01010111101011!!"

**Warrior:** _Nodding in shame. _"1101110 ... 10101 ... 110100"

**Immortal:** _Lets out an electronic gasp._ "**10101**!! 10101 ******* 110101!!" _Gestures for the Warrior to go on in, it then turns to the next figure in the line – a robed human servant. _"1011001?"

**Robed Figure:** "Zero-one-zero-one-one-zero-one?"

**Immortal:** "WTF?"

_The robed figure throws back her hood._

**Falal:** "Sod it; my Binary's crap anyway" _She punches the Immortal through the wall of the tomb complex._

_The figure behind her throws off his own hood._

**Magnus:** "Half of you is a Techpriest and you claim your Binary is lacking?"

**Falal:** "Sorry if I didn't pay attention in my nerd-speak classes, but I might have been too busy getting laid to bother"

**Magnus:** _Winces._ "Ouch. Harsh" _He pulls out his war staff, glowing brightly with ethereal warp energy of +100 to all stats and spell haste 9000, from a seemingly small pouch at his side._ "Lets get to work here. Are you sure this is the location?"

**Falal:** _Turns around and grins._ "Would I be wrong?"

**Magnus:** "It's possible. Sometimes the gods can be wrong. I've seen Khorne try and test for Blood Frenzy on a flying Daemon Prince with the last Chaos 'dex. Should have seen the look on his face when I showed him the 56th printing of that book – the one with all the errors finally corrected ... although they never made up their mind how Doom Sirens should work ..."

**Falal:** "Dear? No one wants to know about your infinite knowledge of the rules for who knows how many game systems. No one except you, and Slutty McSlut"

**Slaanesh:** "I resent that name. Just because I enjoy no-holds-no-consequence indiscriminate sex ..."

**Falal:** "Not slutty at all ..."

**Khorne:** "Quiet all of you. I didn't agree to dress up as a lowly slave just to listen to you two exchange female pleasantries all day. Can we **please **skip to the part where I get to **kill someone**?"

**Magnus:** "Again – why did we bring him along for an **espionage** mission?"

**Falal:** "Just in case the **** hit the proverbial fan, dear. Which it's liable to if the laws that govern this universe have anything to say about the matter ..."

_Ahem ..._

**Magnus:** "So how do we open this door?" _He gestures at the giant entrance to the tomb world beneath._

**Tzeentch:** "How about we ask him-" _She gestures at the space where the Immortal was lying, having now phased out into the tomb._ "Oh no! We can't! The monochrome bitch **killed** him ..."

**Falal:** "Actually it was a **she**-"

**Tzeentch:** "Not caring"

**Magnus:** "Can we concentrate?"

**Tzeentch:** "Sorry I'm getting spell-pushback from this bitch just **standing** there"

**Falal:** "Is it me or does your voice inspire **stupidity** in everyone who hears it because I definitely took that Leadership Test just now ..."

**Magnus:** "Stop it you two or I'll start listing AD&D weapon statistics!"

_Silence._

**Magnus:** "That's better. Now. Door. Open. How?"

_There is an immense explosion, and when the dust settles Khorne stands where the door used to be with the little finger of his left hand held out. _

**Khorne:** "Like that"

**Magnus:** "I knew we brought you along for a reason"

**Khorne:** "Hmm .... well I just hope what you need is down there. Otherwise this whole exercise is pointless, and I **hate** pointless missions"

**Magnus:** "Relax. It's down there. The Necrontyr are an organised bunch, and they would keep something like it somewhere. This just happens to have an almost 100-per-cent chance that what we seek is below"

**Falal:** "And what is it?"

**Magnus:** "Not until next chapter, dear"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_The self-proclaimed 'Queen Bitch of the Multiverse' reclines in her zerg-seat (which squeaks if you lean back too far) and contemplates the nature of reality ... or something ... I'm not entirely sure what Blizzard villains think about when they're not being hassled by the next party of level 70 raiders ..._

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Five down ... eight letters ... 'adequate word to describe the current state of affairs if such state of affairs was the excrement of a male cow' ..."

_Perturabo looks up from where he oversees the construction of the immense Gargant down below to throw her a bemused look. _

**Perturabo:** "Do you want the Lorgar version, or the Angron version?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Whatever you fancy. What are they currently doing?"

**Perturabo:** _Glances back down at the construction site._ "They're playing Ork scrabble"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "How does that work?"

**Perturabo:** "Like normal scrabble, but the word need not exist to count"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "What does our estimated completion date look like now?"

**Perturabo:** "Chapter 150, if we're lucky?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Dammit Pert – we need to strike back! Did you hear what they did to Terra?"

**Perturabo:** "I've been reading the same chapters you have, Sarah. I noticed. Besides, what do you care?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "I had my zerg plushie collection on Terra. They will **pay** for all those priceless collectables!"

**Perturabo:** "Hell hath no fury like a alien-enhanced woman scorned" _Looks back down._ "Oh ... someone won"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "How can you tell?"

**Perturabo:** "He's knocking the teeth out of all the other orks for payment"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "If only teeth were currency back in my universe – the number of **shoes** my zergs would buy me ..."

**Perturabo:** "Wow ... so underneath all that gribbly and evil there's a little girl just wanting to go shopping after all ..."

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _In Shopping Land. _"It'll be like _Sex and the City_ ... but with scything talons ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Did something happen? Was there actually a point to this chapter?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	132. Chapter 132

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO**

"_My god – it's full of stars! I am going to put on so much weight after this ..."_

_- Typical C'tan reaction when viewing a galaxy for the first time_

_Drifting endlessly in space ..._

**Deceiver:** "Bloody hell ... this place is HUGE! I mean ... I swear we've been drifting towards that star now for the last five months and it **still** hasn't got any larger ..."

**Void Dragon:** "Which begs the question how we traversed the cosmos from star to star in the first place. Surely we didn't spend out entire millennia-long lives before the Necrontyr 'discovered' us eating **the same damn sun** for countless thousands of years? How did we disperse amongst the cosmos? How do we breed? Am I the only one here realising our entire biological background could be written on the back of one of those tiny receipts you get in GW stores after paying by card?"

**Nightbringer:** "It would appear that way, yes. Only you could find such matters interesting. The rest of us accept that we're a race badly shoe-horned into a fictional setting that had already, for several decades, established a dominant menace to serve as the 'big bad', and to top it off we were the 'icing' on a cake only created in the first place to rip-off – I mean 'homage' – the _Terminator_ films ..."

**Void Dragon:** "I'm just curious how we were supposed to get to new food sources. If they're expecting me to float at sub-light speed towards bloody alpha centauri then they can frankly go screw themselves – I'm waiting here for the next bus"

**Deceiver:** "I doubt they have buses around here ..."

**Void Dragon:** "I'm a patient immortal being. Sooner or later, there **will** be a bus serving the trade routes between sol and alpha centauri"

**Deceiver:** "Well I'm patient too, and I'm **still** waiting for reasonable prices on GW miniatures" _[Author's Note: Too easy ...]_ "Wait ... didn't we pass that asteroid three days ago?"

**Void Dragon:** "Either that thing has a faster speed than us, or we're going in circles"

**Nightbringer:** "What are we orbiting?"

**Outsider:** "Your mum!"

**Void Dragon:** "How **do** we breed? I don't remember anyone teaching me sex education ..."

**Deceiver:** "This conversation is disturbing, can we please move away from it?"

**Void Dragon:** "This is why there's only four of us left. We need to address the issue of reproduction!"

**Deceiver:** "And who gets to have sex with you? There's only four of us!"

**Outsider:** "I'm up for it!"

**Void Dragon:** "I don't feel comfortable in front of the others ... is there a private room somewhere?"

**Deceiver:** "We're in **space** ..."

**Void Dragon:** "Maybe a concealing nebula or-"

**Deceiver:** "That's it – I'm out of here"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_The pint is gently lowered to the table with all the tenderness of a father holding his newborn child for the first time (before promptly dropping it and suffering the resulting painful and messy divorce and/or therapy). Logan Grimnar raises an eyebrow simultaneously as Leman Russ takes a swig from his own pint._

**Logan:** "So, if I have this all straight, all we need to do to defeat the Plot Hole is find four Key Aspects of Narrative, combine them into a Story with the help of a Tome of Tropes, and defeat the Plot Hole and its forces by ... what? Doing what hundreds of 40K fans do on Internet forums everyday? **Make **** up**?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Nods solemnly. _"That's the idea. The Plot Hole is not a threat we can deal with in our normal manner of kicking enough ass that everyone eventually gives up and goes home. This enemy needs a tactic, and a Cunning Plan"

**Leman Russ:** "As cunning as a fox-"

**Rogal Dorn:** "We don't need _Blackadder_ quotes Russ; it never makes you look smart"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Deep inside a Necron tomb ..._

**Khorne:** "So what is a 'Tome of Tropes'?"

**Tzeentch**:"Essentially a large collection of story-telling tricks and subjects. Things like 'save the princess', and 'pass the test of courage'. Stuff like that. The Necrons, in their desire to be organised, collected them all into one book ... alphabetically, I believe"

**Khorne:** "So we're here to find it?"

**Magnus:** "That's the idea"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Alpharius:** _Swinging the painting of Lorgar over the top of a large stack of crates into the cargo hold behind. It screams obscenities all the way over._ "Of course there's more than four Key Aspects of Narrative in this universe, but four's all we need to beat the Plot Hole"

**Taldeer:** "So we're after the sword of Farsight?"

**Alpharius:** _Explaining while he walks to the cockpit of the Thunderhawk. _"It's a stable Plot Device. A sword of Ambiguous Origin and Undisclosed Properties. Very mysterious, and quite likely to be used as a Plot Hook for future campaigns and-slash-or plot twists. It's narrative properties makes it highly suitable to be one of the Key Aspects of Narrative. It just so happens it belongs to a Tau"

**Mephiston:** _Joining them as they squeeze into the cockpit. _"But Farsight's a rebel – he split off from the Tau Empire before you purchased it"

**Alpharius:** _Turning around and grinning._ "Not so. I purchased Farsight **before** I concluded the deals for the Empire. Why have just one empire when you can get two for the same price? After Farsight rebelled, the political unease in the Empire made them more susceptible to my agents, which pushed the price down considerably"

**Mephiston:** "You're one scary man, and I'm still not sure if it's really you or your twin"

**Alpharius:** _Turning the engines of the Thunderhawk on. _"I do believe you'll soon find out there's no difference"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Logan:** "So what do we need to find then?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "We don't – our mission is one of greatest importance. We need to provide a distraction; keep the eyes of the Plot Hole off the others so they can secure the Key Aspects"

**Leman Russ:** _Slamming his pint onto the table. The resulting earthquake destroys several major cities on the other side of the planet. _"Good! I couldn't stand that bloody 'hunt the key' crap last year! Lets get ourselves a decent **war**!"

**Logan:** "There is supposed to be nothing but war these days, it'll be good to see some and less meaningless dialogue"

**Leman Russ:** "So we'll be fighting with your boys eh Rog?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Of course, my sons are ready for battle"

**Leman Russ:** _Rolls his eyes._ "Always wanted to see bananas try and fight ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** "Bananas?Oh dear brother, the loss of Terra has convinced my sons to adopt a new scheme. We mourn the loss of our world, and hence forth will wear the black of void in memory of her lost glory" _As he speaks the ground trembles and a thousand Space Marines march in; their armour as black as the night. They stand beside their Primarch, who casts off his robe to reveal his own black armour. _"We wanted to re-name ourselves the 'Black Fists', but Lorgar said that might cause offence ..."

**Abaddon:** _Appearing from seemingly nowhere._ "I feel compelled to remind people that he's not my Primarch, and he's an embarrassment to Chaos as a whole ... undivided ... thingie ..."

**Leman Russ:** "What are you doing here?"

**Abaddon:** _Jerks his thumb towards Rogal Dorn._ "Can't let him and his sons have the monopoly on badass black-armoured marines, so me and the guys have been sent by the Ego to give you all a hand in your mission"

**Leman Russ:** "Fair enough laddy, but try to keep up. Yer only a first captain after all ..."

**Abaddon:** _Grinning. _"Have you seen Angron's rules? I can kick his ass any day ... think what I can do to you"

**Leman Russ:** _Leaning closer. _"Yer can **try**"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Can we re-direct this aggression to those more deserving of it? Like those giant dropships unloading the horde of Grom Helscream that have just landed outside?"

**Abaddon:** _Unleashing Drach'nyen from its hilt. _"Last one to the battleground buys the beers afterwards!"

**Logan:** "I'm impressed; five minutes around us and you're already talking like a Space Wolf"

**Abaddon:** _Grinning._ "We were called the **Luna Wolves**, you know"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The goal has been revealed! A plan has been made! The new quest begins! But what is this? Grom Hellscream appears? Will our heroes defeat this epic Warcraft legend?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	133. Chapter 133

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE**

"_I can't be arsed to think of something quotable"_

_- Mortarion_

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Taking a deep puff on what only could be described as the unwanted love child of a Cuban cigar and a water lily. _"Now we seem to have ourselves a little dilemna. On one hand, you saw me. Which isn't good. On the other hand, I've been told to keep our presence to a minimum, which means as few corpses as possible. See my problem?"

**Terran Marine:** _Literally pissing his powered armour._ "Please don't hurt me"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Visibly taking offence at the comment._ "I'm not going to **hurt** you ... just a little rape ... some sadomasochism ... maybe a little-"

**Terran Marine:** _Trying to crawl into the wall Asdrubael has him pinned against with one agoniser-equipped arm. _"I never wanted to be here! I'm supposed to be in another Korean face-off tournament match!"

_A bolter shot rings out, and the Terran Marine looks surprised as bits of his face fly in opposing directions. _

**Ferrus Manus:** _Lowering his gun._ "Terrans always sucked. Give me the Zerg any day of the week"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Raising an eyebrow._ "Not just saying that because your sister-in-law terrifies you?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Scoffs at the thought._ "Please. I'm a **Primarch**; we know no fear"

**Decapitator:** _Appearing from seemingly nowhere in the corpse-littered command room. _"Hello"

**Ferrus Manus:** _After jumping almost a full foot into the air with surprise. _"Jesus Christ man! Don't **do** that to me!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Know no fear, eh? What is it Derek?"

**Decapitator:** "Please sir, don't call me that. How can I maintain an image of utter ruthlessness when you keep calling by the name my mother gave me (bless her soul)?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Sorry ... er ... Decapitator ... so how is the report?"

**Decapitator:** "My mandrake scouts have reported no survivors. The facility is now ours, having been cleansed of the invading Blizzard filth"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Excellent. Tell the lads they deserve five minutes of R&R. Tell them to leave the best-looking corpses to me"

**Decapitator:** _Salutes._ "Will do sir. If you excuse me ... that red-head medic I killed earlier looks doubly attractive when her head's been seperated from it's body ... gotta love neck stumps ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Of course, dismissed" _As Decapitator disappears into the darkness, as if he never where there, Vect notices the look on Ferrus' face._ "Oh come now. You, who has hung out in the darkest depths of the Internet, find a little necrophilia disgusting?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I just can't believe we referenced _The Mighty Boosh_ in this series ..."

_Score._

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Relax ... you're part in this little operation has arrived. Are you sure this is the room you need?"

**Ferrus Manus: **_Deploying his laptop above a terminal and connecting various high-speed bandwith cables to their ports. _"This is the right place. Just give me a moment to flirt with their firewall and I'll be through and free to deliver our little package"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I can't believe we're following a plan you nicked from _Independence Day_ of all films ..." _Stares out of the large array of windows to the remains of a planet far in the distance. His gaze wanders the dusty white plains of the moon outside._ "So this is Luna? Kind of boring, really. At least the moons of the Eldar home world had the politeness to be different ..."

**Ferrus Manus:** _Typing away at his laptop._ "Yeah, well I'm sorry if our home world is too boring for you guys. Maybe if we spend millennia fapping to create our own Chaos God we would have a more attractive world to avoid too"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Ha ha ... funny. Are you finished yet?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I've only just started ..."

_The hololithic screen hanging before the windows flickers, and a disturbing wolf face appears._

**Wolf O'Donnell:** "Can't let you do that ... Ferrus"

_Pause._

**Ferrus Manus:** "You've got to be ****ing kidding me"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "The enemy has deployed its greatest weapon – furries"

**Wolf O'Donnell:** "Your insults have no effect on us members of Star Wolf! As I speak the great elite strike force of the Plot Hole approaches your position! You will know fear when I have finished with-"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Optimus?"

**Captain Prime:** _Replying over the intercomm._ "Deploying now, my lord. Hey Wolf; trying doing a barrel roll against **this!**"

**Wolf O'Donnell:** "What? What's this? That's cheating! You can't use nukes in spa-" _The screen turns into static._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Suffer not the furry to live. There we go ... finished. The system's ours. The computer virus has been uploaded into the Plot Hole's network. That should keep them busy for a while"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Enough time to get what we need, eh Alpharius?"

**Alpharius:** _Standing at the back with his arms folded. _"Just enough time"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_The great tanks grind to a spluttering halt in perfect formation before the assembled might of Fulgrim's high command. Standing beside the great Primarch, the assembled leaders of the Plot Hole's 2nd Division are confident, arrogant, and lacking any sort of personality beyond 'confident and arrogant'. They practically make Fulgrim seem a well-rounded individual. _

**Fulgrim:** "Warriors of the Plot Hole! Today is a glorious day, for today is the day-"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Screaming as she hurtles downwards on the back of a giant flying zergnid hybrid. _"YOU DIE!"

**Fulgrim:** _Retrieving his script from the inside pocket of his power armour._ "Wait, I don't believe that was written down for me ..." _Looks up._ "Holy ... **** ..."

_With the force of a thousand angry gaming nerds, the combined fleets of the zergnid and the WAAAGHorde crash down on the assembled enemy units. It is bloody, it is brutal, it is-_

**Perturabo:** "SO DAMN COOL!" _Slicing the turret off a baneblade with one sweep of his mighty axe of +10 Broken, the Primarch turns to his brother and grins._ "Four-thousand and twenty-eight"

**Angron:** _Grimacing._ "Dammit! I'm five heads behind!"

**Skulltaker:** _Cleaving his way past both of them._ "Eighty-two thousand and five ... gentlemen"

**Perturabo:** _Watching the psychotic, but well-mannered Daemon disappear in a sea of gore._ "Wow ... he's good"

**Angron:** "Glory-hogging little git, he didn't **exist** until the other month and he's already making me look bad"

**Perturabo:** "Not hard to do ..."

**Angron:** "Watch it!"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Riding past atop what only can be described as why Ultralisks and Carnifexes should __**never**__ meet up over a drink or two, find out they have a lot in common (namely smashing things), and go back to either apartment for the night._ "This is the best fun I've had in ages!"

**Angron:** _Waves as she disappears after Skulltaker. _"Glad you're enjoying it honey!" _Turns to his brother._ "Do you think I can get away with claiming this for her anniversary present?"

**Perturabo:** "If you want to live? No"

**Angron:** "What can I get her? It's next thursday and I have no idea of what I can give her ..."

**Perturabo:** "How about a grindstone? Those claws look like they could do with sharpening"

**Angron:** _Throws Perturabo The Look._ "And you wonder why you're still single"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Our heroes go on the offensive, but will their efforts succeed? And what is team Starfethers after amongst the ruins of Terra?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	134. Chapter 134

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR**

"_Still can't be arsed"_

_- Mortarion_

_Necron architecture is a strange thing; seemingly made up of 2/3rds pointless bottomless pits and 1/3rd pointless glowing hieroglyphics, with a small fraction of alien geometries of the type where they've someone managed to obtain an extra 48.5 degrees from what should be a perfect triangle. Of course, the Necrontyr would point out that a triangle where all the corners add up to just 360 degrees is prime demonstration of Humanity's ineptitude in basic trigonometry, and pi equals 3 quite nicely thank you very much. Still, they are the only species in written record who invented the pocket calculator before the wheel (as well as the coffin before the crib) ..._

_It is inside a classic example of Necrontyr architecture that we find out deity (and Magnus) heroes ..._

**Khorne:** "I could be destroying civilisations right now ... reducing worlds to ash ... instead I'm carving through endless hordes of undying robots who don't even have the common decency to scream when they die ..."

**Nurgle:** "I thought you said they were **undying**?"

**Khorne:** "Don't pick on my sentences! I've already got Tzeentch pointing out the flaws in my grammar!"

**Tzeentch:** "Hey, one of my greatest inventions is the written language. What better way to screw with people's minds (and get sad geeks arguing about the **exact** use of the word 'or' in a ruling for pages of Internet forum text)?"

**Magnus:** "Not my fault that the rules for 'Veil of Time' made no sense ..."

**Falal:** "Relax dear, I'm sure those other ... oh ... two individuals who joined with you in that lengthy discussion appreciated the effort you put into when you analysed Pete Haine's exact wording in a lengthy journey that finished with a psychoanalysis of the guy and the conclusion that the lack of clear rules in the 4th Edition Space Marine Codex was clear indication that he wanted to sleep with his mother ... where the **hell** did that come from?"

**Magnus:** "Freud"

**Tzeentch:** "Figures. Hey, what the hell is that?" _She points at a great door in front of them, covered in the strange writing of the Necrontyr._

**Magnus: **"This looks familiar ... I believe I've seen this somewhere before ..."

**Tzeentch:** "In a dream? A prophecy?"

**Magnus:**_Retrieving a small book from a pouch at his side. _"No, the 'Tourist's Guide to Necrontyr Tomb Worlds, 42,006 Edition'"

**Falal:** "Wow ... has Tzeentch just been rendered speechless? This is priceless, can I have a picture of her face? Thanks Nurgle"

**Tzeentch:** "Bitch"

**Falal:** "Whore"

**Slaanesh:** "Yes?"

**Magnus:** "Now that's just sad. Can anyone here read Necrontyr?"

**Falal:** "Oh sure, that was one of the courses I took at AdMech Uni, along with Advanced Quantum Fusion Mechanics and Mechadendrite Conversion Courses ..."

**Magnus:** "Now, I would normally see that as sarcasm but I've seen some of your 'specialised' mechadendrites and that one with the vibrate function leaves me in no doubt that the last part of your rant is somewhat true ..."

**Falal:** "... maybe"

**Magnus:** "Hah! You're not as dumb as you'd like us to think you are!"

**  
Tzeentch:** "It says 'No Smoking'"

**  
Magnus:** "... seriously?"

**  
Tzeentch:** "Seriously"

**  
Magnus:** "What did ancient Necrontyr smoke? Why do they still have a 'no smoking' sign when their entire species are now undying robots?"

**  
Tzeentch:** "I don't know. You asked what the sign read, I told you!"

**  
Magnus:** "**All **of it? That's a lot of circles and lines on that door!"

**  
Tzeentch:**_Waves her hand dismissively._ "There's something about a Tome of Tropes beyond, but I didn't think that worth mentioning ..."

**  
Magnus:** "... where you asleep during the Exposition, where I told everyone what we're looking for?"

**  
Tzeentch:** "Hey, I have a lot on my mind. You can't expect me to keep track of every little thing your mortal mouth comments on"

**  
Magnus:** "Er ... yeah ... whatever ... so any clues on how to open the door?"

**  
Tzeentch:** "It says 'push to open'"

**Magnus:** _Reaches out and pushes on the door with one hand. It swings open._ "Do they make it this easy for our convenience?"

**  
Falal:** "More like theirs. Did you honestly expect them to put up with walking through booby-trapped doors on a daily working basis? I think management would probably get the sack after the first accident with the moving laser fences guarding the men's room ..."

**  
Magnus:** "Good point ... but still ... this is a little **too** easy ..."

**  
Khorne:** "Why complain? Do you want everything to be more hassle than it's worth?"

**  
Magnus:** "This is worth a lot of hassle, thank you!"

**  
Khorne:** "Don't encourage him"

**  
Magnus:** "Who?"

**  
Khorne:**_Points at Lastie._

_  
Bugger off, I'm too busy painting ungodly amounts of 'Battle for Black Reach' Orks to care ..._

**  
Khorne:** "Hmm ... lesser beings than ourselves could take advantage of this ..."

**  
Magnus:** "Luckily we're not lesser beings ... are we?"

_  
Silence. _

_  
Damn Deffkoptas ... right, where are all of you? I want to throw something big and gribbly with 'We'll Be Back!' at you ... hello? Hello? Oh bugger, they've scampered ... with that damn Plot Device they kept mentioning ..._

**  
Magnus:**_Running like hell through the tomb complex with the Tome of Tropes under his arm._ "Keep running! I hear the sounds of Author Vengeance approaching!"

**  
Falal:** "Stop ... pant ... running! wheeze I'm ... carrying ... pant ... half a tonne ... wheeze of metal ... inside me!"

**  
Tzeentch:** "Can we sacrifice her to aide our escape?"

**  
Magnus:** "Tempting ..."

**  
Falal:** "What? wheeze"

**  
Magnus:** "The bright side of this is that when we get back to the portal she'll be too exhausted to kick my ass ..."

**  
Slaanesh:** "Ooh! **Opportunity!**"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The guide to the downfall of the Plot Hole is secured! What will befall our heroes in the upcoming battle?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	135. Chapter 135

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE**

"_Still can't think of-"_

_- Mortarion, Primarch of the Death Guard_

"_Oh for ****'s sake Mort! Say something interesting!"_

_- Ev'rii, his unlikely wife_

"_Er ... beware mouldy sandwiches, for they lead to unpleasant passing of Nurgle's clay"_

_- Mortarion, Primarch of the Death Guard_

"_Ew ... gross"_

_- Ev'rii, his unlikely wife_

_The great Hall of Variable Scale was constructed as an effigy to the glorious nature of science fiction writers to have little sense of scale when it came to the vastness of space and the objects contained within it. To quote Douglas Adams: "Space is big, really big". To be fair, little on Earth can quite prepare the Human mindset to how gigantically-enormous-mammoth-gargantuan space really is. So it's somewhat understandable that those who dabble in the art of writing fictional stories set in space sometimes fail to understand the sheer scale of the backdrop they write their stories in. This is probably why most space battles happen within several miles of each other, which would be the equivalent, if the action was transplanted onto a more terrestrial ocean, of war galleons fighting each other with a space of about two inches between their hulls. When you have all that room, it's a little silly to be so close. Kudos to _Battlefleet Gothic _for grasping this concept, it must be said. _

_I digress; the Hall of Variable Scale is between two metres to two miles in length, and can change depending on the descriptive narrative. The variable nature of its size allows all sorts of meetings to be held within, from simple office talk to grand banquets held in the honour of the Plot Hole. It is within this space of unverifiable size that we find the former EMPEROR OF MANKIND! and his traitorous son Konrad Curze (a.k.a. Night Haunter) enjoying the ancient and noble game of poker (Morder Hold 'em rules) with several other prominent members of the Plot Hole's inner hierarchy._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Swatting a glowing ball with wings away from his face._ "Will someone get this damn thing away from me?"

**Navi the Fairy:** "HEY LISTEN!"

**Link:** "Sorry about that. I've tried to house-train her"

**Giant Smoke Cloud:** "At least it's not that damn irritating fanged kid that insisted on riding on your back all the time"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"That sounds interesting ..."

**Link:** "It's not, really. I'm not even sure which me had the problem. I'm not even sure which me **I **am, let alone **when **I am, **who** I am, and why the hell I'm still fighting Ganondorf. You'd think by now I could ... you know ... **kill him**?"

**Sephiroth:** "You're in a Nintendo franchise; they don't allow death, bad language, sex, or Easy Mode"

**Navi the Fairy:** "HEY LISTEN!"

**Konrad Curze:** "This might be a little late to constitute as flowing dialogue, but didn't we already **kill** you in an earlier plot arc from ... say ... last season?"

**Sephiroth:** "That was in a horrific future vision brought about by misuse of the Fish of Time and Games Workshop finally realising you can't run a company on starter sets and painting intros alone, selling themselves to Square-Enix (in a strange and completely unnatural business venture) like a little niche market company whore"

**Konrad Curze:** "But ... we **killed** you"

**Sephiroth:** "That ... was ... the ... **future**"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"... I'm confused"

**Navi the Fairy:** "HEY! LISTEN!"

**Giant Smoke Cloud:** "Could someone shut that thing up?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Who the hell are you anyway (and how the hell can smoke hold cards)?"

**Giant Smoke Cloud:** "Never watched _Lost_ then? I'm all that's left after the entire island and everyone on it imploded upon itself after reaching Critical Plot Failure"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"What's that?"

**Giant Smoke Cloud:** "When the number of plot holes in a given story outnumber the plots themselves, a story suffers Critical Plot Failure. The results aren't pretty – look at _Twin Peaks _for example"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I'd rather not. _Mulholand Drive_ almost gave me a seizure trying to figure it out ... come to think of it our universe has quite a few plot holes ..."

**Konrad Curze:** "The latest series of publications has recently introduced a whole lot more ..." _Both Curze and the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! look at each other; the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! raises an eyebrow. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Smokey ... could, by any chance, a Critical Plot Failure be **forced** into happening?"

**Giant Smoke Cloud:** "I doubt any self-respecting author would force more plot holes into his story than actual plot substance, but it might be possible **within** the story by the characters themselves if they had access to any in-universe fourth-wall breakers"

**Konrad Curze:** "Like a laptop belonging to the Head of Intellectual Property for Games Workshop?"

**Giant Smoke Cloud:** "I guess ..."

**Navi the Fairy:** "HEY! LISTEN!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"NO! YOU LISTEN! **REJECTED**!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Meanwhile outside a Necron tomb world ..._

**Falal:** "Stop ... wheeze ... running!" _Collapses on the dusty ground._

_Magnus spins round and scoops her up in one massive arm with a sigh. _

**Khorne:** "Why am I **running?** I don't do running! People run from **me!**"

**Nurgle:** "Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour"

**Khorne:** "Screw valour! They ret-conned that crap out of me in 3rd Ed!"

**Slaanesh:** "Not wishing to be the harbinger of bad news, but do you guys feel that ominous vibration in the ground? The type that kind of suggests something big, nasty, and possible chock-full of hit points is going to appear and signal a boss fight?"

_The ground does indeed erupt spewing forth something big, nasty and definitely chock-full of hit points (some one million of them). _

**Necron Platinum Commander:** "TIME TO DIE FOOLISH FALSE GODS!"

**Khorne:** "Excuse me? **False?**"

**Nurgle:** "Lets keep running ..."

**Magnus:** "Can't run from a boss fight"

**Tzeentch:** "I'm afraid he's right. Guess we'll have to fight this one"

**Khorne:** _Unleashes a feral grin. "_With pleasure" _Great tendrils of warp energy coil around him, and when they disperse he stands holding a huge staff with two Bloodthirsters on either end. One of them wields twin axes and looks rather irritated, the other's just big. _"Skarbrand, An'ggrath – look lively! It's showtime guys!"

_Khorne leaps at the Platinum Commander and unleashes hell with the Bloodthirster-staff. Nurgle summons forth a vile stream of half-digested pizza from within his great gut and projectile vomits it out upon the Necron construct. Tzeentch and Magnus summon the greatest energy of the warp and unleash it upon the boss, while Slaanesh sits back and reads hentai._

**Tzeentch:** _Noticing Slaanesh's lack of involvement. _"Why aren't you doing anything?"

**Slaanesh:** "Er ... hello? All my powers involve emotions, which the Necrons have **none**. Except hatred, and that's Khorne's domain anyway. Have fun, I'll be here if you need a Cure spell or something ..."

**Falal:** _On the ground exhausted._ "I'll just pass out here ... if that's OK with everyone?"

_The gods retreat back and check on the damage they've caused this turn._

**Tzeentch:** "Crap! Our magicks have done **nothing**! Bloody Necron anti-psyker gear!"

**Khorne:** "My sword is ineffectual! It appears their natural resistance to the Warp extends to weapons summoned from it as well ... this enemy is powerful indeed"

**Nurgle:** "At least the paint scheme has been improved"

**Khorne:** "Indeed ... how the hell did you get **carrot chunks** from pizza?"

**Nurgle:** "There's **always** carrot chunks in vomit"

**Slaanesh:** "Charming ..."

**Tzeentch:** "Ideas gentlemen?"

_Ominous latin chanting begins._

**Tzeentch:** "Where's that coming from?"

**Magnus:** _Points up._ "Him"

_Descending from the sky, Lion El'jonson plunges, katana-first, into the Necron Platinum Commander._

Lion El'jonson hits Platinum Commander for 101,000,100 damage! (Critical)

_As the Necron construct collapses in a pile of twisted metal, the Lion calmly walks over to the gods, sheathing his Katana of Emo Angst on the way. _

**Lion El'jonson:** "Greetings brother, greetings Winifred Ex Machina ... and hello to you too, False Dark Gods of Chaos ... did I miss anything?"

**Magnus:** _Whispering out of the corner of his mouth to an indignant Tzeentch_. "You've got to admit, he knows how to make an entrance ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The Lion appears! Does this herald the turning of the tide of battle for our heroes? Or will the forces of the Plot Hole come up with even more obscure ways to combat the Primarchs?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	136. Chapter 136

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX**

"_Can't spell slaughter without laughter!"_

_- Harlequin battle cry_

**Magnus:** "Not wishing to sound ungrateful for your timely intervention-"

**Tzeentch:** _Muttering under her breath._ "Could have taken it on. Didn't need Angst McAngsty spoiling things with his wavy bishonen hair and flashy Japanese sword ..."

**Magnus:** "-but **what are **you doing here?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Saving your ass, what does it look like? I was tired of being forgotten in the narrative so I skipped to the story arc currently being featured and cut my way in ... literally, it seems"

**Khorne:** "Well you can cut your way out. We don't need any snivelling corpse-god-loving emos 'helping' us out"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Yes, of course. You're the all-powerful Dark Gods of Chaos and can do anything ... except, it seems, attract competent followers"

**Khorne:** _Opens his mouth, then closes it._ "Yeah you're right. Horus was useless ..."

**Nurgle:** "How many of our followers actually **are** competent? How many **fail horrifically** at basic tasks, utter cliché villainous dialogue at every opportunity, and even commit the greatest sin of all by indulging in **maniacal laughter**?"

**Tzeentch:** "Good point. Remind me to email **everyone** copy of the Evil Overlord List, and instruct them all (**especially** Ezekyle) to memorise **every single damn one** of those points"

**Khorne:** "But then we might breed followers smart enough to realise the inherent downside to following dark gods of known petty capriciousness!"

**Nurgle:** "As if they'd ever turn on us – WE PAY THEIR GODS-DAMN MUTATION SALARIES!"

**Tzeentch:** "Nurgle, and it pains me to admit this, has a point – they can't live without us. They're addicted to our awesome Daemonic Gifts. They **want** them. They **need **them. They-"

**Magnus:** "Aren't in the current Chaos Codex"

**Tzeentch:** "Oh ... gods-damn Gav Thorpe ... if I ever get my hands on him ..."

**Slaanesh:** "Kinky. You like games designers then?"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Moving to stand beside Magnus as the two Primarchs watch in mild amusement as the Chaos gods bicker amongst themselves. _"Got what you came for?"

**Magnus:** _Raises an eyebrow. _"Are you in on this ridiculously convoluted plan of Alpharius' too?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Probably. He helped fund the Caliban reconstruction project, convinced me to go out with Aerith (how I still can't figure out to this day), gave the chapter a laundrette so we can finally wash those blood stains out of our robes, and gave me this cool sword" _The sword is unsheathed, and Lion swings it about. A faint voice can be heard on the wind from the sword:_

**Katana of Emo Angst:** "CRAAAAWWWWLIIIINNGGG INNNNN MAAAA SKIIIINNNN!!!"

**Magnus:** "Oh dear god in the Warp ..."

**Tzeentch:** "Yes dear?"

**Falal:** _Waking up from her brief spell of unconsciousness. _"Shut it bitch, he was talking to me"

**Lion El'jonson:** "It occurs to me that perhaps the largest indication that this entire existence is but the mere fabrication in the mind of a gamer that an individual like Magnus has somehow managed to obtain two powerful deities who manifest their avatars in the guise of considerably attractive women and **fight for his affection**. This is all obviously fiction"

**Magnus:** "Better than fact"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Touché"

**Magnus:** "You're just jealous"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Oh indeed. I am insanely jealous that you get Mystic Meg and Two-Face for your girlfriends. Enjoy them. Both"

**Tzeentch:** "Can I turn him into a Horror?"

**Magnus:** "Relax. He's just bitter than somehow he's been dumped with Miss Yandere of Final Fantasy 1997-2008"

**Lion El'jonson:** _He barely suppresses a shudder._ "She's not right! No one can be that cheerful and still be ... a **functional human being**! And those **pink dresses**! And my god-on-His-throne; that **fringe**! That thing defies gravity by itself! It makes no logical sense!"

**Magnus:** "Here to escape her then?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Don't make me go back there! She wants to get my hair styled!"

**Magnus:** _Winces. _"Ouch. Stick with us. We're saving the universe"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Again?"

**Magnus:** "Amazing how often the universe seems to land itself in trouble. You'd think by now it would have taken out some insurance or something ..."

**Lion El'jonson:** "Can't complain. Gives me something to do. All right guys; you can come out now!"

_The bushes around them stir as most of the Dark Angels chapter sheepishly appear._

**Magnus:** "Wow ... she's made an impact then?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "You have no idea"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Legions upon legions of orc warriors stand before the Space Wolves, themselves arrayed around the pub like an awesome barrier of badassery. A little jostling occurs within their ranks, and the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus/Black Legion/Whatever They're Calling Themselves Now stand between their loyalist kin. _

_Abaddon the Despoiler stands next to Leman Russ with a look of barely restrained glee at the upcoming prospect of mass violence. _

**Abaddon:** "Think we can take them?"

**Leman Russ:** _Glances over. _"What a stupid question"

_A single orc stands before the others, his armour five times larger than himself, and his shoulder pads larger still. _

**Grom Hellscream:** "Listen, children of the Workshop of Games! Listen well to what I say! Your time is at an end; the Plot Hole devours all in its path! No narrative is too well-written, to coherent, too **good** to suffer the Plot Hole! When my lord has finished with you, but a single emotion shall rule your hearts! Stilted dialogue shall be all that leaves your lips, and cliché tropes shall rule your actions! You will be mono-dimensional characters, servants before the might of the Plot Hole! Hear me as I ... are you **actually listening to me**?"

_Leman Russ and Abaddon look up from where they have spent the last monologue sitting back on deckchairs sipping ice-cold beer. _

**Abaddon:** "Are you finished yet? You realise no one actually gives a damn about what you're saying?"

**Grom Hellscream:** "You insult **me**?"

**Abaddon:** "Oh **please**. You killed a single demon and **died in the process.**You know how many demons **I've** killed? More than you've got hair on your balls greeny ... oh wait, that was incredibly rude of me; I assumed you **had** balls ..."

**Grom Hellscream:** _Rages and hurls his axe into the ground._ "You will **die** for that insult!"

**Abaddon:** _Uses the /taunt emote with the Talon of Horus._ "Come on greeny – let's **dance**"

**Grom Hellscream:** "CHARGE!"

**Leman Russ:** "SPACE WOLVES! FIGHT LIKE YOU'VE GOT A PAIR!"

**Abaddon:** "Isn't that Warmachine's slogan? Oh hell with it – THIS IS FOR STEALING OUR ORCS YOU BLIZZARD BASTARDS!"

_Needless to say, the two armies collide in a maelstrom of blood, gore, some more blood, a little more gore, and one __**very**__ irate Venerable Dreadnought._

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The battle begins ... I think ... it's all rather confusing ..._  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	137. Chapter 137

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN**

"_I'm a Space Marine! I'm a Space Marine! Suck my boltgun; I'm a Space Marine!"_

_- Universal Chapter war cry_

_The sprawling labyrinthine Imperial complexes that cover the majority of the surface of Luna are not known for their appealing aesthetics; Imperial structural engineers much prefer functionality and large amounts of skulls (generally their own after the building is finished) for their structures. Still, as ugly as the buildings may be, those who slaved for years to build them in the vacuum of space would probably shed a few tears as the small Kabalite Eldar party led by the Night Elf-turned-daemonic poster boy Illidan Stormrage tear through the structure destroying all in their way. _

**Illidan Stormrage:** _Coming to a halt at a junction. _"Which way? Right or left?"

**Drazhar:** _Shrugs._ "Do I look like I can read mon-keigh-speak?"

**Urien Rakarth:** "Relax. All we're looking for is the embarkation lounge for the Luna-Terra skyhook transway. It shouldn't be too difficult to find the required words on this signpost ... oh my ... it is rather long isn't it?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Knowing these superstitious humans it's probably one long prayer to their gods of directional discovery and preventing their pitiful minds from getting lost in this accursed place ... I swear these buildings follow no logic or reason"

**Urien Rakarth:** "Like the Black Temple?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Got lost? Learn to play ... noob"

**Urien Rakarth:** "Such unsightly language should not befall your dialogue Illidan. It really does not suit you"

**Illidan Stormrage:** _Grimaces._ "Apologies. I've been feeling somewhat violated since the release of that accursed MMO and its abysmal expansion pack ... or perhaps this is merely the Metzen-induced insanity I'm apparently suffering ... if I say anything out of character again ..."

**Urien Rakarth:** "I get to hurt you?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "... please **inform** me ... unless you desire death to visit you?"

**Urien Rakarth:** "You can **try** you horned freak ..."

**Drazhar:** "Quiet! Both of you! I'm trying to guess the direction we should go"

**Urien Rakarth:** "It's a 50/50 chance Drazhar; if we take the wrong path we merely back-track and take the other path"

**Drazhar:** "That could cost us time we don't have. Haven't you noticed the count-down timer in the corner of your vision?"

_They all try and gaze out of the corner of their eyes._

**Urien Rakarth:** "What is that?"

**Drazhar:** "It started when Vect gave us our mission objectives-"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "I noticed those listed on the right hand side of my vision ... do you have 'Destroy Communications Array' highlighted?"

**Drazhar:** "Yes; that means we've finished that particular step of the quest. You're from Warcraft, you should know how the system works!"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "If you are referring to the abomination mortals name _World of Warcraft_ I have told you before; I do not recognise the existence of that product!"

**Urien Rakarth:** "That does mean you should still be lying flat on your ass in the snow after Arthas kicked your mutated behind"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Arthas! If I ever find that fallen Marty Stu of a character!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "Hello ... someone's talking about me ..."

**Horus:** "Ignore it" _He takes a step forward. _"We have bigger fish to fry ... or rather pathetic little demons to bitch-slap"

_The great demonic entity before them roars his fury._

**Kil'jaeden:** "Pathetic mortals! Know that I, Kil'jaeden, known as the Deceiver, Legionlord, right hand of Sargeras, final boss of the Sunwell Plateau, all-round-"

_The sound that Horus' hand makes as the Warmaster back-slaps the man'ari eredar is akin to planets slapping together ... if sound could transmit in space ... _

**Horus:** "Shut up bitch and listen. We want your loot. Give us all of it. Including your Tier 7 stuff"

**Kil'jaeden:** _Picking up his teeth._ "I don't know what you're talking about"

_SLAP!_

**Horus:** "Tier 7 stuff. I know you stole it from Blizzard' R&D department the other week"

**Kil'jaeden:** "But it's not balanced!"

_SLAP!_

**Kil'jaeden:** "It has knockback effects and reduces all spells to instant cast!"

_SLAP!_

**Kil'jaeden:** "It's more broken that the Sword of a Thousand Truths!"

_SLAP!_

**Horus:** "That's why I want it"

**Kil'jaeden:** "You won't be able to handle the power! It will destroy you!"

**Horus:** _Grabs the horns of the demon and draws Kil'jaeden's face close to his. _"Do I look like a man who can be easily destroyed? Know who you speak to you sad pathetic excuse for a galactic end-game threat"

**Kil'jaeden:** "It appears someone is going to have to teach you manners ..." _There is a sudden release of arcane energies, and Horus is knocked flying backwards (knockback! In action!). The demon rises and his grotesque (but undeniably cool) form dominates the room._ "Behold the might of overpowered Blizzard BBEG's!" _He reaches out his arms and unleashes a torrent of burning fire that scorches Horus and his group._

**Hecate:** "Prayer of Fire Protection, Rank: Primarch!" _As she speaks a shimmering shield of burning webs covers the party, and the fire storm unleashed by Kil'jaedon washes over them without effect. _"Unbalanced Spell Buff for permanent crits!"

**Kil'jaeden:** "Permanent **what?!?**"

_SLAP!_

**Horus:** "She said crits, as in 'critical hits' dumbass" _SLAP! SLAP! PUNCH! _

_Kil'jaeden flies backwards, tearing through the architecture. _

**Kil'jaeden:** "How can a character from a British franchise contain so much power? You should be weak; a pushover with bad dental work and a pathetic love of tea! I'm an **American character! **I don't do **losing!!**"

**Hecate:** _Rubbing two fingers together. _"And this is the world's smallest violin playing just for you ..."

**Horus:** "Consider that the fat lady's song" _He spots his sister's expression._ "Not that Hecate's in any way **not** a perfect size ... something ... whatever is currently in fashion ... now about that gear we were talking about ..."

**Kil'jaeden:** "It was not made for you ..."

**Horus:** "Then I'll have it resized. Now quite your whining and hand over the loot ... and I swear if it's tokens or anything I will **end** you"

**Kil'jaeden:** _Waves a hand, and several suits of armour rise from the ground._ "Have it. I would wish you luck ... but frankly I don't give a ****, and it would make my life pleasing if you died in the process of wielding this armour"

**Horus:** _Punches out Kil'jaeden as he gazes upon his new acquisitions. _"Whatever. You Blizzard characters are all talk and no punch" _He reaches out and grasps the helm of the nearest armour. _"About time I got an upgrade: came back from the dead – nothing. Suffered training from a bitchy short Chinese guy – got nothing. Destroyed half an Eldar fleet through badly narrated circumstances – still got nothing. Claimed the Fish of Time and defeated the C'tan? Again, nothing. Defended Terra from crazy necromancers and the vanguard assault of a living narrative discontinuity? More nothing! **Died again! **Got raised as an undead lich(e) ... **now** I got something" _He finishes putting on the armour. He turns to face his companions._ "Time to kick an unholy amount of ass"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_OK, the battle's __**definitely**__ beginning now ... or at least going somewhere ..._  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	138. Chapter 138

**PART XII: NONDESCRIPT A-HOLES OF THE UNIVERSE**

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT**

"_What are the greatest things in life? To defeat your enemies, loot their corpses, and sell the crap stuff on eBay"_

_- Khârn the Betrayer_

_The sounds of battle fill the morning air; the screams of the dying, the battle cries of the living, and the clicking of camera shutters as the WNN news team record every detail for live streaming Internet viewing._

**WNN Reporter: **_Facing the camera._ "And we're here live as the glorious forces of our immortal God-Emperor rage victorious over the heretical forces of the foul green-skin xenos"

_A rather large orc hears this last comment, finishes decapitating a Space Wolf, then turns around and politely taps the reporter on her shoulder._

**Grom Hellscream:** "Er ... excuse me. What's 'xenos'?"

**WNN Reporter:** _Momentarily caught off-balance, but recovering spectacularly._ "Alien, foreign, not of this world, etc."

**Grom Hellscream:** "Ah ... sorry to disturb you ..." _Raises Gorehowl high above his head._ "FOR THE PLOT HOLE!!" _He charges back into the melee, which greets him with the sound of the dying, the battle cries of the ... no I've already done that description ..._

_Makes you realise how difficult if must be writing a Black Library novel: how to make the same damn battles seem unique and ... well ... __**interesting**__. _

_Thankfully that's not my job. I'm just here to pull their work to pieces._

_Getting back on topic, we once again return our attention to the raging battle between the forces of Grom Hellscream, newly proclaimed Warlord of the Plot Hole, and the combined might of the Space Wolves, led by the Primarch Leman Russ, the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus/Black Legion/Whatever, led by the self-proclaimed Warmaster Ezekyle Abaddon, and the Imperial Fists, led by the Primarch Rogal Dorn. There was a frighteningly large amount of commas in that previous sentence ... I think I can hear my old English teacher crying in her sleep ..._

**Rogal Dorn:** _Raising the Fist of Dorn (it's a thunder hammer, apparently) high above his (slightly rotting by now, as he is technically undead) head. _"FOR THE EMPEROR!"

**Abaddon:** _Raises Drach'nyen (his glow, insta-killing daemon sword) above his pony-tailed head. _"FOR CHAOS!"

**Leman Russ:** _Raises Anaris, Sword of Dawnlight, (remember when he obtained it from a dead craftworld and used it to kick the Nightbringer's ass?-_

_**Magnus the Red:**__ "Actually, didn't we defeat the Nightbringer with rules exploitation?"_

_-whatever, anyway Russ still has it. Jaina Proudmoore (of Warcraft fame) wanted to steal __**that**__, but for some reason thought it was a spear and stole the Spear of Russ instead. She hasn't returned it yet._

_**Jaina Proudmoore:**__ "I __**wanted**__ to, but I'm stuck with this creepy vampire dude, his bitchy Elven girlfriend, Alpharius, and a talking painting. Not getting anywhere fast ..."_

_Dammit. This was only supposed to be a small comment in parenthesis, not a whole freaking discussion! Anyway, Anaris, Russ still has it) ... oh dammit I forgot where I was. Backtracking ..._

**Leman Russ:** _Raises Anaris, Sword of the Dawnlight, above his head. _"FOR THE BEER!" _[Author's Note:Damn, the joke's ruined now I've spent too long explaining why he has an Eldar sword ...]_

**WNN Reporter:** "And our glorious leaders ... and the arch-traitor Abaddon, who, God-Emperor willing, is currently our tentative ally ... lead the glorious forces of the Imperium to glory, to victory, to ... wait ... they're going **back?!? **What happened?" _She chases after Rogal Dorn. The camera man follows her._ "Excuse me, Lord Dorn? What happened?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Turns around and addresses both the reporter and the camera man sheepishly._ "False charge. The referee states it was a false charge"

**WNN Reporter:** _Nodding she turns away and chases after a large man in black and white stripped armour._ "Excuse me? What happened? Do you care to comment?"

**Referee:** "Illegal charge! They measured range before Hellscream could declare his charge reaction! We're returning everyone to their original places to try again. Now if you'll excuse me" _He turns away and starts gesturing madly at the orcs._

**WNN Reporter:** _Turns to the camera. _"A stunning foul for the Imperial side. What will this mean for future turns? Stay tuned to find out!"

_ STATIC _

**Carl:** "Boring"

_Indeed. The 11th Primarch lounges back in his surround-sound chair and gazes up at the new wall of plasma-screen TVs (super-high-definition, with smell-o-vision). _

**Carl:** "What's on the other channels?"

_ STATIC _

**Fenix:** "Hi! And welcome to _Cooking With Fenix! _On today's show I'm going to show you how to prepare and serve _Zerg Surprise! _A tasty dish guaranteed to catch you unaware ... with it's tasty flavour!"

_Standing some distance back from the small TV she has positioned near her work station overlooking the gene-banks and growth vats, within which the new army of Zerg-Tyranid hybrids grow, infested Kerrigan points at the TV in confusion. _

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Didn't I kill that guy?"

_Perturabo walks past carrying more debris from the battlefield on the planet below. He throws it over the edge onto a large 'X' painted on the floor of the factory section of the great vessel the WAAAGHorde travels within. Once an Adeptus Mechancius food barge, designed to transport billions of tonnes of food produce from agri-worlds to hive worlds, it has since been taken over by the combined forces of the Orks, the Orcs, and a rag-tag band of Primarchs, a banshee, and one alien infested, PMS-driven psyker. _

**Perturabo:** _As he speaks, hundreds of Gretchin descend upon the scrap below and scavenge within it for useful parts to aid the WAAAGHorde. _"Who cares? Shouldn't you be celebrating? We've just won our first victory over the forces of the Plot Hole!"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Shrugs. _"Don't feel like celebrating much"

**Perturabo:** "Yeah, you strike me as the tragic emo type who gets betrayed, left for dead, infested by an alien horror, then proceeds to walk around the galaxy naked and killing people who picked on her in high school. It's your typical _Carrie _syndrome, only with scything talons instead of telekinesis"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Suddenly a little self concious, wraps a white technican lab coat around her. Poking holes through the fabric so the giant talons on her back could protrude. _"Thanks for the unwanted psychoanalysis ... why aren't **you** up on the command deck celebrating?"

**Perturabo:** "No reason ... just don't feel like celebrating much ..."

_There's an uncomfortable moment of silence. The kind where we're supposed to read into what's not being said and work out what's going on ourselves, mainly because the author's too lazy to write decent dialogue explaining it for us. It's supposed to be a natural mimic of how awkward conversations work in real life, but what most author's forget is that such real-life conversations don't enjoy such well-written dialogue ..._

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Folds her arms as she figures it out and grins._ "You fancy her"

**Perturabo:** "I do not! ... well ... maybe I do"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Singing._ "_Pert and Sylv, sitting in a tree, F-U-C-"_

**Perturabo:** "All right! Enough! You know my secret so what's **your** excuse?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "I don't feel like I belong here ..."

**Perturabo:** "Aside from the obvious? That you're from _Starcraft_, a game often criticised as a poor-man's _Warhammer 40,000_ for Koreans? And we're from an established and well-respected franchise?"

_The Queen of Blades raises an eyebrow._

**Perturabo:** "Yeah ... I didn't believe any of that either. Althought you have to admit: Zerg-Tyranids, Protoss-Eldar ... Space Marines?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Lets not bait the nerd-flames any more. I can already here the sounds of thousands of geeks poising their fingers above their keyboards to do battle on who ripped off who, or if someone actually had an original idea for once"

**Perturabo:** "Agreed. So how are the hybrids coming along?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Progress is fast thanks to the recent author link"

**Perturabo:** "What?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Andy Chambers is assisting in the creation of _Starcraft II_. He's also written two Tyranid Codices. The narrative bonds between the two species are stronger than ever! Together, they will become something more ... something greater! Something more powerful! And thus my army of gribbly critters shall dominate all life in the universe, and cement me as the Queen Bitch of **EVERYTHING!!!**"

**Perturabo:** "Yeah ... that's why you needed to get laid more often ..."

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Look who's talking ..."

**Perturabo:** "Touché"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_The action's heating up; on the battlefield and off of it! Where will this lead our heroes?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	139. Chapter 139

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE**

"_METAL BOXES!"_

_War is not pretty; it is rather ugly. It involves lots of death, destruction, and the darkest aspects of Human culture. Naturally this makes for a great subject to base a table top game around. A game sold to young children on a regular basis, whose parents purchase the products for little Jimmy blissfully unaware that the starter set (Battle For Black Reach, £40, from your local GW Hobby Store, thank you ker-ching!) contains one force of genetically engineered, hypno-doctrined, xenophobic, facist former child solders, and the other a race of genetically engineered killing machines to who 'peace' is a concept as alien to them as 'please don't rape and kill the children' is to most of us._

_And that's before we mention the Dark Eldar. _

_Yes, little Jimmy is going to enjoy the GRIMDARK far future, full of GRIMDARK war and GRIMDARK MASS GENOCIDE (often by the same species, because it's easier than protracted warfare when you can just call Exterminatus ..._

_**Malcador the Sigilite:**__ "Well protracted warfare __**is**__ rather expensive, while cyclonic torpedoes can currently be bought from the AdMech on a 'buy four get one free' offer, and all you need to operate them is some guy to press a button"_

_good point, but will little Jimmy understand?_

_**Malcador the Sigilite:**__ "Screw little Jimmy – where's my gods-damned characterisation? Gods-damned lazy GW fiction writers ..."_

_getting back on topic ... which was) GRIMDARK everything!_

_In comparison to that ..._

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Standing in abject horror._ "Oh my gods! How **could** you?"

**Alpharius:** _Standing amidst a sea of broken, decapitated, mutilated, and (in one case) exploded Tau, raises an eyebrow in confusion._ "What's wrong?"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "What's wrong?" _She spread her arms out and gestures around her._ "THIS!"

**Alpharius:** "Oh ... the dead Tau? It's fine – there's plenty more where they came from"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "How could you kill them?"

**Alpharius:** "Easy, they're my property. You don't get upset when you break a comb do you?"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "They're living, breathing, creatures!"

**Alpharius:** "No, they're xenos. Slightly different ... er ... no offence meant Taldeer"

**Taldeer:** _Looks up from cleaning her singing spear._ "Hmm? Oh no. None taken"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "They're sentient creatures!"

**Taldeer:** "Their guns are better than ours"

**Alpharius:** "They're a blatant and pathetic attempt to cash in on the growing appeal of anime"

**Taldeer:** "They're not Eldar"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "So it's justified to slaughter them?"

**Taldeer, Alpharius, & Mephiston:** _The latter has so far managed to not say anything so far, more concerned with opening the sealed vault they have slaughtered their way to reach._ "Yes"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "You people ... you're all-"

_Taldeer back-hands her, knocking the woman out cold. _

**Alpharius:** "Thanks. She was starting to remind me of an ex-wife"

**Mephiston:** "You've been married?"

**Alpharius:** "What do you think I've been doing for ten thousand years? Sitting in a room twiddling my thumbs? I've been around; getting laid, making plans. You know ..."

_A bloodied hand reaches out from the pile of corpses and grasps Alpharius' leg._

**Commander Farsight:** "Why?"

**Alpharius:** "I've bought the Empire. I'm afraid to say it would hurt my public image if anyone found out I was behind your little rebellion. Got to remove all possible evidence. Good business, you see ... I'm sure you'll understand" _Brings his foot down. There is a horrific 'crunch', and the hand falls limp._

**Taldeer:** "Are we through yet?"

**Mephiston:** "Almost ... there we go"

_The vault slowly opens with Tau-efficient silence. The three stare into the interior; empty save for a single sword standing upright in the centre, supported by anti-grav fields._

**Mephiston:** "This is what we're here for?"

**Alpharius:** "We are indeed. The Dawn Blade- mysterious artefact weapon of unknown and unexplained origin. Definitely one of the Key Aspects of Narrative"

**Taldeer:** "But is has **no** narrative behind it! It's just some lazy way of giving the guy a unique weapon so he stands out from the rest of the mecha-pilot mavericks that lead Tau armies. Makes sense to give an individual focused on long-ranged fire power a close combat weapon really"

**Mephiston:** "We established long time ago the many idiosyncrasies that plagued the design studio ... you know Cassius, that stuck old fart from Guilliman's boys, is now Toughness 6?"

_Silence._

**Alpharius:** "That's tougher than **me**! ****ing design studio!"

**Taldeer:** "Time for nerd rage?"

_Alpharius reaches into the field and retrieves the sword from where it floated._

**Alpharius:** "Damn right. Lets finish this plot hole, **then** I'm going after the design studio"

**Dawn Blade:** "Heya folks! Long time! Mighty fine day for a spot of slaughter, don't you think?"

**Alpharius:** _Looks at the sword._ "You have **got** to be kidding me ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Why does the sword talk?_  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	140. Chapter 140

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY**

**Hecate:** "'Thank you for looting the Tier 7 Warrior Gear of Ganking. We hope you find the perfect balance of imbalanced characteristic bonuses and unfair tactical advantages ideally suited to your role as one who places virtual power higher in their life than seeking the company of their own species, especially that of an intimate nature (if you know what we mean, and we're sure you do you fat basement-dwelling loser). If, for some reason, you are not satisfied with this product, please ring our customer service department on 0880-7648-STFU. Rest assured that we at Blizzard Entertainment love your money and hope you continue giving it to us' ... well that sounds familiar ..."

_Must stop making digs at the company I work for ..._

_**Anyway, LAST TIME ON PRIMARCHS:**_

_**Horus:**__ "I'm dead!"_

_**The Lich King:**__ "Well noticed. I can see why they elected you Warmaster ... douche bag"_

_**Kil'jaeden:**__ "GIVE YOU COOL SHINY WARGEAR? NEVER!"_

_Slap!_

_**Kil'jaeden:**__ "You make your case well, young Horus. Loot well, loot hard ..."_

**Horus:** "YES! YOU ARE THE GREATEST WARGEAR EVER!"

**The Lich King:** "That's a pumpkin head ... you get them at certain times of the year. **This** is your Tier 7 helmet ..." _He holds up a large helmet covered in spikes, which glows softly with barely-restrained power._

**Horus:** "Screw that. I've got a **pumpkin head**!"

**The Lich King:** _Turns to Hecate. _"How is he still alive?"

**Hecate:** "Apparently there's a fundamental law of the universe that states survivability is inversely proportional to intelligence. I seem to be the exception, however"

**The Lich King:** "I'm from _Warcraft._ What's this 'intelligence' you speak of?"

**Hecate:** "Point" _Returns her attention to the instruction guide for her new armour._ "'In case of emergency, pull small cord protruding from rear to release automatic evacuation procedure' ... erm ... what the hell? 'Keep away from small children – small parts that require extensive assembly and a modicum of intelligence to use' ... should have that written on the side of GW stuff ... 'Made in China' ... really? HEY HORUS! PUT THAT DAMN MOUNTAIN DOWN; I'M TRYING TO READ!"

_Horus looks over, the mountain balanced on one hand above them all. _

**Horus:** "What? But I'm just testing out the new strength buffs!"_Sees the expression on his sister's face and sighs._ "Oh all right ..." _With one swing of his arm, he hurls the great mountain far across the horizon ..._

_Where it impacts against the air with an almighty 'CLANG!'_

**Horus:** "What ... the ... hell?"

_With a strange shimmer, and accompanying sound effect, the air over the plains where our heroes train fades to reveal a giant spherical space station in low orbit around the planet. _

**Hecate:** "They **cloaked** the **Death Star**?"

**Horus:** "Clever bastards. I would have done that ... or would have ... if we had cloaking devices and death stars in this universe"

**Hecate:** "What about the Tau stealthsuits and Necron world engines?"

**Horus:** "Quiet you"

_A small opening appears in the side of the Death Star, and a large balcony descends on the end of an articulated arm (yes, I do realise this makes no sense. Plot Hole, and all that). As the balcony approaches within reasonable visual distance of the assembled Imperials, Chaos Primarch, and one particular Lich King, one figure amongst those riding it steps forward to address our heroes. _

**Admiral Daala:** "Attention scum who dare consider themselves 'Imperials'! Surrender now, and your lives will be spared by the glorious Plot Hole!"

**Horus:** "Oh thank the gods ... it's just Dalaa"

**Hecate:** "For a moment there I thought it was going to be Thrawn ..."

**The Lich King:** "Then we would have been **really** screwed"

**Admiral Daala:** "Oh for the love of ... ! Thrawn this, Thrawn that ... well I have a message for you – Thrawn isn't all that! He's **not** the greatest, he's **not **the smartest ... does he have **breasts**? Eh?"

**Horus:** "Now you're just getting desperate"  
**  
Admiral Daala:** "Enough! Will you surrender, or will I be forced to wipe you clean from the surface of existence?"

**Horus:** "You can **try**"

**Admiral Daala:** "Very well, you have chosen" _The balcony retracts into the Death Star, which begins to move out of close orbit and into a position more suited to blowing up planets (I.e. away from the explosion, naturally)._

**Hecate:** "Any bright ideas?"

**Horus:** "One. How's your maths?"

**Hecate:** "Excellent. Why?"

**Horus:** "Where's the beam going to land?"

**Hecate:** _Takes a quick look at the current position of the Death Star. Indulges in some quick mental trigonometry. _"Five miles northwest. Give me a second and I can give you the precise latitude and longitude"

**Horus:** _Already running._ "No need"

_He covers the distance quickly, and stares up just as a bright green flash heralds the arrival of the super laser. As it cuts through the atmosphere the super-heated gases scream just as Horus unleashes his own war cry and holds up the cool funky shield he got along with the armour._

**Horus:** "I hope I read the instructions right ..."

**Shield:** "Thank for you using the Mirrorshield 5,000. Please point in direction of energy source to be reflected"

_The beam hits the shield, and the immense release of energy blasts outwards levelling all the forest around him. Horus strains with all his might to hold onto the shield._

**Shield:** "Warning: Absorbed energy reaching critical levels. Please remove from energy source"

**Horus:** "Just a little more"

**Shield:** "Warning:We really did mean what we just said. Please remove from energy source"

**Hours:** "Don't back-chat me!"

**Shield:** "Warning: last chance!"

_The beam disappears, and Horus stands with a shield radiating enough energy to reduce Texas to a molten slag five hundred times over (hmm ...)._

**Horus:** "Hey bitch – take it back!"

_The energy is released from the shield and impacts into the Death Star. The great station explodes in a shower of debris that scatters across the planet. As the debris rains down, Hecate catches up with Horus._

**Hecate:** "Amazing! Where did you get that shield from?"

**Horus:** _Holds up the mirrorshield._ "This? _Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time._ Sent off for it with coupons I got in Kellogg's Khorne Flakes ages ago. Came this morning, luckily enough"

**Hecate:** "That was ... convenient"

**The Lich King:** _Materialising beside Horus. "_Did you just blow up the Death Star?"

**Horus:** "I was going to play baseball with it, but I didn't have a bat large enough"

**The Lich King:** "Too bad. I'd love to see you strike a home run with that thing. So what's next?"

**Horus:** _Shoulders the shield and stares over the horizon._ "They want a distraction, I guess I'll give them a distraction. Lets knee the Plot Hole in the balls"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**


	141. Chapter 141

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY ONE**

"_I'm sorry, I didn't hear you over the sound of how awesome we are"_

_- Normal Eldar response to ... well, everything_

_The great elevator stretches upwards, far beyond the meagre grasp of Luna gravity into the barren void between the small moon and the larger world it orbited around. Far above them, several million miles away, the world of Terra, known to antiquity as Earth (coincidently, possibly the only decent line of dialogue in the otherwise abysmal FPS _Fire Warrior_). Standing before the base of the great elevator, team Starfethers Inc. (made from the Dark Eldar special characters, Ferrus Manus, Alpharius (one of them, even I've lost track of which one's which, so for simplicity's sake they're both Alpharius. I'll work out which one was Omegan later) and the exiled Illidan Stormrage, he of cool twin swords and neat blindfold) stare upwards in amazement._

**Ferrus Manus:** "This is possibly the most stupid thing I've ever seen. How does this work exactly?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "It's a giant elevator, essentially. A strong cable connects Luna to Earth, and you just ride an elevator car from the surface of one to the other. As I said: simple. I'm surprised even your mon-keigh intelligence didn't grasp it's concept"

**Ferrus Manus:** "The concept I've no problem with. It's the **existence** of this damn thing that gets me. To tie the moon and the earth together requires Luna to remain in a geostationary orbit around Terra, which it can't. I mean, what of the effect on plate tectonics, the weather, the tide-"

**Alpharius:** "Seas boiled away millennia ago, Ferrus"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Which is also stupid. Where the hell did all the water go? Did it drift away into space? When you boil water you're only changing its molecular state from liquid to gas by exciting the molecules. It's still H20, it's still **there**. Over seventy percent of the earth's surface was water, **so where did it all go**? What filled the place of the oceans – more buildings? How do you support a planet entirely comprised of cities? Even Coruscant had to have oceans to support its population, thanks to a ret-con by the Expanded Universe so that the original premise of the planet didn't collapse into a black hole created by its own implausibility. So where did the water go?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Welcome to a little world known as finally realising how **RETARDED **your own fictional universe is. I mean ... why attach giant chainsaw swords to titans? What are they going to cut; exceptionally large trees?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Standing there meekly._ "This makes no sense ..."

**Alpharius:** _Slaps Ferrus on the back._ "Come on. Take the elevator that shouldn't exist down the planet that makes no sense so we can find a Key Aspect while dad occupies the attention of the Plot Hole's forces"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Wait ... so the Corpse-God's **not** with the Plot Hole?"

**Alpharius:** "Oh good Imperial Truth no – he's too stupid to ever betray mankind. Still think it's his 'divine right' to tell us what to do, and insert some ridiculous atheistic rational objectivity bull crap as mankind's 'Truth'"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "A religious man, Alpharius?"

**Alpharius:** "Not really; I don't see the point of believing gods don't exist when they bitch-slap you on a daily basis"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "A fair response. Shall we depart, ladies and gentlemen?"

**Lelith Hesperax:** "I thought you'd forgotten about us, Vect dear"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I had not forgot, even if the narrative did"

_Hey, I can't keep reminding people all the time who's in the scene and who isn't (although if you're interested it's Ferrus Manus, Illidan Stormrage, Alpharius, Asdrubael Vect, Lelith Hesperax, Kreullagh, Drazhar, Urien Rakarth, and Decapitator)._

**Kreullagh:** "Speak for yourself, who remembers me? Everyone remembers the guy in the pimped up wagon with the naked slave girls-" _She gestures at Vect_. "-the dude who may or may not be Arhra, Fallen Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpion Aspect, while being the head of arguably the only decent unit in the entire Dark Eldar army-" _She gestures at Drazhar_. "crazy dude who's weapons **automatically wound, always**-" _She points at Urien Rakarth, who tries not to look smug. _"-and ... erm ... actually I suppose Decapitator shares my obscurity"

**Decapitator:** "I say, that's rather harsh is it not?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Erm ... Decapitator?"

**Decapitator:** "Oh, terribly sorry ... ahem ... DECAPITATION!! RHARR!! ... exclamation mark ... exclamation mark ... emphasis"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Are we guys going to get on this elevator any time soon, or just stand around bemoaning our ****** rules?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "You damn Americans are always so impatient ... very well. All embark onto the elevator. Next stop – Terra!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Stretched out before them, the Giant Oxford Map of the Galaxy, M42 Edition, manages to occupy a vast amount of the battle barge's carrier bay. Magnus the Red currently strides between the border of the Segmentum Solar and the Segmentum Obscurus, with Lion El'jonson and Tzeentch in tow._

**Lion El'jonson:** "Alpharius has the Dawn Blade?"

**Magnus the Red:** "The last daemon-mail from him stated as such. We're currently waiting for Alpharius to obtain the Key Aspect from Terra-"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Aren't we sending someone else?"

**Tzeentch:** "**Different** Alpharius, Sandy"

**Lion El'jonson:** "I get confused (and don't use my real name in front of the guys, please?). How many of him are there?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Supposedly only two: Alpharius and Omegan. Considering, however, that Omegan didn't exist until a couple of months ago, I wouldn't put it past him to bribe Merrett to include more copies of Alpharius in this galaxy"

**Lion El'jonson:** "So potentially unlimited?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Indeed. We could all in fact be Alpharius and not know of it. He has been known to be that good; spent four decades believing he was a table-top wargamer" _He turns to the camera. _"So he could be ... **you**"

**Tzeentch:** "Magnus, you're talking to the audience again. Stop it"

**Lion El'jonson:** "And stop suggesting I'm Alpharius in disguise. That just sparks the whole 'Alpharius disguised as Horus disguised as Eldrad disguised as Alpharius disguised as ...' and that **never *******' ends!**"

**Tzeentch:** "I can end it: all your bases are belong to me"

**Lion El'jonson:** "What the hell has that got to do with anything?"

**Tzeentch:** "Well, you're miniatures ... on bases ... and those bases ... are mine"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Whatever. What's our next step Magnus?"

**Magnus the Red:** "I need to find the next Key Aspect of Narrative. I need something important to the story of the galaxy, something that fans talk about incessantly on Internet forums ... dammit Ferrus should be here ..."

**Tzeentch:** "How about the Cadian Pylons?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Too obscure"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Watchers in the Dark?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Only affects your chapter, I need something more galaxy-wide"

**Tzeentch:** "Hive Fleets?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Galaxy-threatening, but no more than all the rest of us. It needs to be **unique**, and involve something fundamental to the structure of the story"

**Falal:** _Approaching the via the Eye of Terror._ "Squats. Their removal from the franchise shaped the universe as it was to come"

**Magnus the Red: **"True ... they should be powerful enough ... but the **whole species**?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "I hate to rain on this parade, but weren't the Squats **eaten**?"

**Magnus the Red:** "True ... but you forget ... we still have the power"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Realises what Magnus is referring to. _"The Fish of Time?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Indeed. But I fear we may not be capable of using such power again without ... consequences ..."

**Lion El'jonson:** _Horror spreads across his face. _"You're not suggesting?"

**Magnus the Red:**_ Tries to prevent a terrified shudder from infecting his body. "_Yes ... it seems we need to pay him a visit ... again"

**Falal:** "Who?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Pie May"

**Falal:** "... **who?**"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Who indeed ... this may mean back-tracking to an earlier chaper ... or wait for the next one ..._  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	142. Chapter 142

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO**

"_If you stat it, they will complain about it"_

_- Angron, Primarch of the World Eaters_

_Perturabo hurries through the twisting corridors of the giant Adeptus Mechanicus food barge that now serves a new purpose as the home of the WAAAGHorde. He has been woken up earlier than he wanted by a loud siren that still, ten minutes after exiting a pleasant dream about twin sisters of battle, refuses to shut off. As he reaches the command bridge his temper is almost about to unleash a slice of infamous Primarch Rage TM. _

**Perturabo:** "What the hell is going on?"

**Ghazghkull:** "This" _Holds up a piece of paper before Perturabo._

**Perturabo:** "'We apologise for the lack of an 'off' button for the Adeptus Mechanicus All-Purpose Annoying Alarm System. This is due to consumer concern about the availability of such a device would lead to a conflict with the purpose of the product to annoy unceasingly' ... so? Aside from the fact we can't switch this alarm off now?"

**Ghazghkull:** "Oh sorry, wrong paper ..." _He holds up a new slip of paper. The hand writing is far more neater._

**Perturabo:** "'Dear Angron. Please don't be mad with me, but we both knew this would never work out between us. We have our differences, and we need to acknowledge them instead of trying to pretend this is anything but badly written fan fiction. I can't deal with a relationship that isn't verified canon. I hope you understand. I'm taking the Zergnids out to destroy the Plot Hole once and for all. Look after yourself, and slaughter a population centre or two in my memory. Love, Sarah' ... oh ..."

**Ghazghkull:** "The holds are empty of her insane experiments, and several cruisers are missing from the docking bay. Looks like she's left"

**Sylvanas:** "Let her. I've seen her type before: she'll never find peace. He life is just an endless stream of tragic villain tropes leading to an inevitable Karmic Death"

**Perturabo:** "That may work in Blizzardville, but here we kick karma in the balls and run off with his lunch money. Are the tracking beacons working?"

**Ghazghkull:** "Like a beauty. We can track her from her to the Tau Empire ... should she so wish to pay those fish-faced anime freaks a visit"

**Sylvanas:** "You **bugged** all our ships?"

**Perturabo:** "I don't trust any of you. Do you trust any of us Ghaz?"

**Ghazghkull:** "Hell no. I didn't get to be Warboss and launch two full-fledged Waaaghs by being the silly trusting type who spouts the usual crap of peace, love, and the good will of all men. I got here by cracking heads and pissing on everyone I trample underfoot"

**Perturabo:** "You're a fine example of the characters this universe breeds Ghaz. Sylvanas: take note"

**Sylvanas:**_ Scratching her head thoughtfully. Some strands of white hair come away with the skin attached._ "So what's the plan? We go after her, beat the seven shades of crap out of her, and steal all our equipment back?"

**Perturabo:** "Good grief no. That may be the standard Blizzard approach, but we here at Games Workshop like to take the subtle approach"

**Sylvanas:** _Laughs._ "From the people who stick chainsaws onto mountain-sized mecha. So what's your smart idea then?"

**Perturabo:** "We follow her, let her take all the main punches, and tidy up afterwards"

**Sylvanas:** "That's not smarter that's being **lazy**!"

**Ghazghkull:** "It's damn good thinking!"

**Thrall:** "I approve, it lets me stay out of combat. I can continue brooding ... and writing poems about my beloved Jaina ..."

_Silence._

**Perturabo:** "Yeah ... you do that ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_The great elevator slowly traverses the gulf between Luna and Terra, its occupants finding ways to pass the time before the inevitable fight to the reason why they've entered the lion's den of occupied Terra. Decapitator ... decapitates. Vect ... indulges himself ... while Lelith hones her skills ... with blades that is._

_Alpharius and Ferrus Manus, meanwhile, pass the time by taking advantage of the free Warp TV offered by the elevator's First Class Lounge. _

**Alpharius:** _Relaxing back in a very plus armchair._ "There's no way Susan would go out with Steve ... not after he knocked up her mother and then accidentally impregnated her sister with her brother's mother ..."

**Ferrus Manus:** "Yeah, I'm still trying to figure that one out ... what the brother-"

**Alpharius:** "His father? Yes"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Man I love time travel ... so is Lucy-"

**Alpharius:** "Steve's grandmother and daughter ... and possibly Robert's sister ... which would make him Steve's father"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Thank the Imperial Truth I have Primarch-level intelligence ... I'm just about keeping up with the sub-plot involving Susan's parent's sister's mother's brother who could maybe perhaps be **her** son and brother"

**Alpharius:** "Yeah, I don't think so. I reckon she's just his sister's daughter in disguise, pretending to be his mother"

**Illidan Stormrage:** _Sitting beside them with his head in his hands. _"Enough! Can we see what's on the news?"

**Alpharius:** "Fine ... I'll watch the recap episodes this weekend" _He clicks his fingers and the TV changes channels. Eventually they reach WNN (Warp News Network). _

_**WNN Reporter:**__ "Today marks the second week of fighting against Grom Hellscream's forces by the glorious Imperial army. We catch a moment with the Arch-Traitor Ezekyle Abaddon, former First Company Captain of the Luna Wolves, later the Sons of Horus, later Those Stinking Bastards With the Black Armour ... traitorous scum, how does it feel?"_

_Abaddon appears on-screen. Alpharius and Ferrus laugh and clap._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Looking good Ezekyle! The chicks'll dig that ponytail now you've got some orcs entrails in it!"

_**Abaddon:**__ "Tired. Luckily Astartes-constitution lets us ignore such minor plot factors like realistic fatigue, consumption, and taking the occasional crap"_

_**WNN Reporter:**__ "Really?"_

_**Abaddon:**__ "Hell yeah. I haven't taken a **** in a week. Typhus has gone one further ... in dedication to Nurgle he hasn't gone to the crapper since the Heresy. He's looking a little ... bloated lately"_

_**WNN Reporter:**__ "Charming ... so how is the battle proceeding?"_

_**Abaddon:**__ "To plan. We've forced the forces of the creature known as 'Hellscream' back to his landing point. We seek to bombard the area with traditional artillery of the AP2 and better variety before sending in the close combat shock troops led by Ragnar Blackmane and Khârn to mop up any survivors. They're currently practising their chainsword-fu right now"_

_**WNN Reporter: **__"What are your expectations for victory?"_

**Alpharius:** "You'll lose horribly"

**Ferrus Manus:** "That a prediction?"

**Alpharius:** "Hell no. I've seen the next chapter. They win"

_Thanks for spoiling it ... git._

_**Abaddon:**__ "I'm pretty confident of victory now that Alpharius has spoiled it for everyone"_

**Alpharius:**_Spreads his arms wide and embraces the fan-hate._ "Thank you! Thank you all!"

_**WNN Reporter:**__ "Anything you wish to add?"_

_There's a loud explosion, and the screen turns dark brown._

_**Abaddon:**__ "Yes ... it appears Typhus has exploded"_

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_Well ... you know what happens next chapter anyway ... damn spoiler-rific Alpharius ..._


	143. Chapter 143

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE**

"_Look mum! I'm being quoted!"_

_- Little Jimmy_

_Poking his head out of a sea of ... let us simple refer to it as 'brown stuff' to avoid the censors, the orc known as Grom Hellscream roars his defiance at the combined Imperial/Chaos forces._

**Grom Hellscream:** "Cover us with crap you may, but you'll never destroy the orc spirit!"

**Abaddon:** _Yelling from the other side of the battlefield._ "Barrens chat!"

**Grom Hellscream:** _Enters EXTREME DEPRESSION._ "The ... horror! The horror!"

**Abaddon:** _Turning to the other commanders. _"Quick, while he's incapacitated recalling mindless conversations, bad grammar, and endless Chuck Norris 'facts' – attack!"

**KHÂRN THE BETRAYER: **"OOH YEEEAAAH! KHÂRN BABY!"

_Leaping across the endless hills of ... brown stuff ... KHÂRN_ _THE BETRAYER cuts a bloody and brutal path through the orcs, bogged down as they are in the ... brown stuff ..._

_**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **__"Hey! Why's his name in capitals too?"_

_Because he's KHÂRN THE BETRAYER. He'll **** your **** up._

_**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **__"Humph ... he doesn't have an exclamation mark though"_

_You keep hold of that fact like a little shining beacon of something that cares._

_Meanwhile, KHÂRN THE BETRAYER catches up with Grom just as the orc warrior tears through the ... brown stuff with PURE ORC FURY!_

**KHÂRN THE BETRAYER: **"TASTE A LITTLE KHÂRN BABY!"

**Grom Hellscream:** "Don't underestimate me!"

_Their mighty axes meet with a blaze of awesome, and sparks of win, in a titanic battle beyond all imagination, beyond description, beyond ..._

**Alpharius:** _Still watching the TV. _"This is some seriously sucky axe-work. Look at that upper cut – completely sloppy. He left himself undefended!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "You want to go there and show them how it's done?"

**Alpharius:** "Sure, let me just pull out my personal webway portal I keep hidden **up my ass**"

_We return to the epic battle as it reaches its climax ..._

**KHÂRN THE BETRAYER: **"OOOH YEAH! YOU LOVE A LITTLE KHÂRN IN YOUR LIFE!"

_Look, when I said 'climax' I meant ..._

**Grom Hellscream:** "We know what you meant. It has been long since I have met a warrior capable of meeting me on the battlefield as an equal ... Khârn .... I salute you ... WITH A DOUBLE PENETRATION BLOW TO THE FACE SUCKER!"

**KHÂRN THE BETRAYER: **"KHÂRN SEES THROUGH YOUR OBVIOUS FEINTS AND REPLIES WITH HIS OWN MIGHTY THRUST!"

**Grom Hellscream:** "I meet your mighty thrust with an equal opposing force! Feel my weight inside you Khârn!"

**KHÂRN THE BETRAYER: **" KHÂRN LOVES EVERY MOMENT OF THIS!"

_Scene switching to that elevator ..._

**Alpharius:** _Eating popcorn._ "This is why the gods invented television"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Face-palming. _"Can we switch over to the time-travelling incestuous family please?"

_Scene-switching again ..._

**KHÂRN** **THE BETRAYER: **" KHÂRN IS FORCING IT IN!"

**Grom Hellscream:** "It's too big! It won't fit!"

**KHÂRN THE BETRAYER: **" KHÂRN IS ONE-SIZE FITS ALL!"

**Abaddon:** "I'm impressed. I didn't know Khârn was so ... talented ..."

**Ragnar Blackmane:** "Could you do the same to my gear sometime Khârn?"

**KHÂRN** **THE BETRAYER: **"KHÂRN HAS FRIENDS!"

**Leman Russ:** "That's it! Stop building flat-packed shelving units from IKEA on the battlefield! You can do that later in the privacy of your own homes! Grom – do you surrender?"

**Grom Hellscream:** "How can I go against the man who successfully constructed my DVD rack?"

**Leman Russ:** "Excellent, then I guess we've won"

_Back in that elevator ..._

**Alpharius:** "Was there any doubt?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Some of us actually like to be surprised by the story, you know?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "We have a story?"

_Quiet you!_

**Asdrubael Vect:**_Enterting the lounge. _"Heads up mon-keigh; we about to land on Terra not-so-firma"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Hey, I'm not Human"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Doesn't make you Eldar either. Understand this, Illidan: all Eldar divide the universe into two clean, simple halves. Those who are Eldar, and those who are not. Those who are Eldar are blessed with beauty, grace, intelligence, superior fire power, and awesome orgasms. Those who aren't Eldar ... aren't blessed with anything but our pity"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "I don't need your pity!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Says the guy who gets ganked by spotty teenagers living in their parents bedroom every night"

**Illidan Stormrage:**_Opens his mouth to reply ... then closes it when he realises he hasn't much to rebuke with. _"Dammit ... my life sucks ... used as a poor end-of-content boss for power-hungry losers who haven't, and probably never will get laid"

**Alpharius:** "That's it Illidan: insult your average userbase"

**Illidan Stormrage: **"Lets just get whatever it is we came here for and leave before I alienate any more of WoW's eight million or so losers"

**Ferrus Manus:** "**What** are we here for anyway?"

**Alpharius:** "Why, only the greatest Plot Device in this entire franchise: the Imperial Webway Throne"

**Ferrus Manus:** "We're going to **steal** the **Golden Throne**?"

**Alpharius:**_ Grinning."_And I don't mean the webcomic"

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**  
_All questions may or may not be answered in the upcoming chapters of PRIMARCHS!_


	144. Chapter 144

**PART XII - NONDESCRIPT A-HOLES OF THE UNIVERSE**

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR**  
**"IT ALSO COMES IN KID'S SIZE!"**

"_Blessings be on the Omnissiah. Blessings be on His great works. Blessings be on those who teach His wisdom to us. Blessings be on the seeds, and the delicious torrents they provide. Blessings be on all warez, for now, and forever. Amen" - Adeptus Mechanicus Student Prayer_

_Deep underneath the endless cityscape of modern (from the point of view of the forty second millennium, of course) Terra, the Adeptus Mechanicus continues its student excavation and research for the benefit of the local universities. The whole operation kindly sponsored by Zoatibix ("Puts hairs on your chest, and rending claws on your arms!"). We find a single techpriest, his mood decidedly dark, as he hunts two missing students in his charge._

_He finds them messing around in an abandoned control room deep under the built-upon city that covers what used to be the Eurasian continent. _

**Techpriest:** "What the **hell** are you two doing?"

_One of the students turns round with a guilty look on his face._

**Student 1:** "Sorry, but we found this place. Isn't it so cool?"

**Techpriest:** "**Cool?** The holy and divine works of the Omnissiah are not **cool!** Watch your tone, for it borders on the near disrespectful towards our great and holy Source of All True Knowledge. In my day students such as yourself knew their place in the eyes of the Machine God!"

**Student 2: **"With a hydraulic compressor up their ass?"

**Techpriest:** "Silence!" _Ruffled, he straightens his robes and resumes an aura of cold, clinical logic and abundant superiority towards all other living organisms ... especially those bloody Astartes ..._ "What is this you're indulging yourselves with?"

**Student 1:** "It's the most epic game of pong ever! We're colliding hadrons with each other! Watch!"

**Student 2:** "Shit ... is that supposed to happen?"

**Student 1:** "YEAH! Black Hole end boss FTW!"

**Techpriest:** "That's it! Stop playing around with the LHC and get back to the digsite! We've other examples of CERN foolishness to uncover! If you **must** play around with black holes, need I remind you what happened to Ganymede?"

**Student 2:** "Wasn't that the Warp?"

**Techpriest:** "Same thing"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Stepping out of the great space elevator, the Primarch Alpharius stand with all the image of a god-like being who knows what he wants, and that in five minutes he'll probably get it._

**Ferrus Manus:** _Stepping down beside his brother, and hands him a pink soft drinks carton._ "Chocolate chip milkshake"

**Alpharius:** _Taking a sip. _"Hmm ... taste the chocolatey goodness ..."

_OK, so I was off by a couple of minutes. However, he's now one very satisfied god-like being._

**Alpharius:** "I am quite satisfied"

_That's what I said._

**Illidan Stormrage:**_ Stepping down beside them both. "_So where's this 'Golden Throne' of yours?"

**Alpharius:** "At the end of a large instance run, before which we need to wait several hours spamming the 'Looking For Group' line for the single competent healer on the entire server"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "I'm sure you think you're hilarious, and I'm quite certain your idiot collective of a legion would all agree with you, but you're not ... you're an idiot ... and one day you will wake up and this revelation will hit you with the full force of eight million WoW subscribers clamouring for _Wrath of the Lich King_ on the day of release"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Wouldn't like to get between a four hundred pound gamer and his long-awaited expansion pack would we?"

**Urien Rakarth:** _Climbing out of the elevator backwards. Don't ask, he scares me._ "I made the mistake of placing myself beside the new Marine stuff this year at Games Day. I was almost crushed to death by a horde of spotty kids wanting to know how broken their smurfs were now"

**Ferrus Manus:** "And my; are they **broken!**"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Like a Space Marine player's manhood after he tried to make love to a Thunderfire Cannon"

**Alpharius:** "Probably not the analogy we were looking forward to as the punchline ... but thanks anyway for volunteering one of your witty comments to push the BBFC rating of this chapter up a little"

_**Lorgar:**__ "PG-13!"_

**Alpharius:** "Quiet Lorgar; you've been conveniently forgotten by the narrative for the last two-dozen chapters, or so. You and Horus had your fun last story arc – now it's my time to shine in the spotlight!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "And we behold your awesomeness while quietly sniggering behind your back"

**Alpharius:** "As I would expect of my brother" _He frowns as he notices something._ "Vect; what the hell is on your back?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Looking slightly defensive._ "It's my backpack"

**Alpharius:** "It looks like the skin of a small child sewn together in the shape of a traditional backpacker's backpack"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "If that's what you see, it's only because that's what it is. I got it last story arc on some planet while we were looking for an Oracle or something"

_That'll be the Oracle of Oblivion. She with the Wraithmaids._

**Asdrubael Vect:** "What the Narrator said"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Best not dwell in the past, or someone might realise how far downhill this series has dived. Everyone remember where we parked! Next stop – Golden Throne!"

**Alpharius:** "Wait ... that was **my** line! Hey, are you ending the chapter already! You can't do that, I'm the bloody her-"

_Ended. __Chew on that._


	145. Chapter 145

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE**

**"NO ONE EXPECTS INSERT FAVOURITE GROUP HERE"**

"_The 'Long War'? It's only 'long' because those idiot Primarchs spend all their time playing _Warhammer Online_ than waging retributive war against the Imperium!" - Attributed to Ezekyle Abaddon_

**Kruellagh:** "Are we there yet?"

_Alpharius stops in his tracks and whirls around to face the Archon of the Emasculators. _

**Alpharius:** "For the hundredth time in the last five minutes: no! We are **not** there yet! We are a little closer to being **there** since you last asked, but we are **not** there **yet**! Now, for the love of all that is **holy** and **good **in this universe **SHUT THE HELL UP!**"

_He spins back around and continues to walk forward, leading team Starfethers forwards in their quest to steal/liberate/borrow/violate (delete as appropriate, although I feel the last choice is more for Vect than anyone else) the Golden Throne (otherwise known as the LOL IMPERIAL WEBWAYZ DEVICE!). _

**Kruellagh:** _Looking at her feet. _"I was just asking ... no need to shout ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Walking alongside Illidan, who seems to be in a semi-catatonic state, probably after hearing Vect's preferred method of handling annoying female gnome rogues who wish to loot Illidan's fabled [Warglaives of Azzinoth]. _"You definitely have a way with women, don't you Alpharius?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Taking a break from navigating the ruins of Terra's surface-sprawling city while simultaneously levelling his party up in _Final Fantasy CIX _(coming soon to a PS56P near you)_. "Now I think of it, you never had a girlfriend in high school did you?"

**Alpharius:** "Neither did you, so I don't see where you think you're standing"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I have an excuse; I'm a sad lonely Internet geek who lacks the necessary social skills to interact with women possessing a third dimension to their physical aspect"

**Kruellagh:** "What?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I like anime"

**Kruellagh:** "Oh" _She places an understanding hand on Ferrus' shoulder. _"It's OK, there's rehab clinics you can attend to talk about it, if you want"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Nodding._ "I would like that. It's a guilty secret of mine. I wish to be cleansed of this insane perception that the animated medium may be used for anything other than mindless entertainment for retarded kids on Saturday mornings, and **could** be used to depict serious and engaging story lines for adults"

**Kruellagh:** "Now you're just being sarcastic. That's the last time **I** attempt to reach out and help another sentient being. Next time I'll just rape you to death"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Please tell me you were joking with that comment Ferrus. Outside of _Ghost in the Shell_ what anime is 'serious and engaging'? Ninety-percent of it's fething **fanservice **galore!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Nothing wrong with fanservice. This entire franchise is ninety-percent franchise built around the Rule of Cool. I'm sorry, but a galaxy spanning medieval empire that uses genetically engineered super solider **knights in armour**wielding **chainsaw swords**? An alien race whose basic gun fires **atom-thick shurikens**? Giant mecha with **cathedrals** on their backs? Stop me when I get to something that's not completely over the top pandering to fuelling geekgasms the world over"

**Lelith Hesperax:** "I haven't had a geekgasm in ages ..."

**Urien Rakarth:** "I think you mean an 'orgasm' dear"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Please let us **not** go down this path! Lelith is my sister-in-law, she is married to my brother Lorgar" _[Author's Note:In case anyone's forgotten]_

**Lelith Hesperax:** "Fine, you asked for it" _She moves forward to walk next to Ferrus and wraps a friendly arm around his shoulders (she can almost manage it. Being Eldar she just comes up to Ferrus' chest). _"Let me fill you in on all the squicky details of me and Lorgar's frantic sex sessions"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Alpharius! Help!"

**Alpharius:** _Waves a hand in dismissal. _"You're on your own this time big brother" _He stops. _"Now this is interesting"

_The party stops with him, and gaze in awe at the giant metal chain that sprouts from the ground in front of them, crosses a huge gulf to where it meets the ground on the other side. Alpharius carefully approaches the edge of the gulf and stares down. He whistles in amazement._

**Alpharius:** "I guess they haven't put the planetary core back from where the Lich King tore it from within Terra herself ..."

**Ferrus Manus:** _Approaching the giant chain and reading a small inscription on the side._ "'Made in Magrathea' ...?"

**Illidan Stormrage:** _Shaking himself out of the Vect-induced coma._ "The Great Planet Builders. They've currently got a 'two for one' offer on M-class worlds if you're interested"

**Alpharius:** "I think at the end of all this we might need to call their services to repair Terra and several other worlds. In the meantime, however, we need to acquire the Golden Throne"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Taps the giant chain._ "So what's this? A quick-fix job?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Probably, you can't expect decent customer service in this day and age"

_Except when I'm involved._

**Illidan Stormrage:** "So where's this 'Imperial Palace' of yours?"

_Alpharius points towards the horizon ... well ... more like the giant reality-consuming building of a stature that defies mere narrative description and seems as if the small sections of sky visible have merely been stuck around it like icing on a gargantuan gothic cake. _

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Oh ... I thought that was the sky ..."

**Alpharius:** "No, it's home. Everyone pick their stuff back up; we're moving out"

**Kruellagh:** "Are we there yet?"

**Alpharius:** "Vect, can't you do anything do make her stop doing that?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Sorry, she enjoys rape"

**Alpharius:** "Don't you know anything else except that?" _Vect blinks in surprise. _"Don't bother"

_As they collect their belongings and begin to move towards the distant continent-spanning building, the ruins around them erupt in a sea of slightly dusty golden armour._

**Custodian:** "Halt! Declare your intent xenos scum!"

**Alpharius:** "Vect don't answer that question!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "But I had an answer all planned out! It was beautiful! It had everything modern sensibilities abhor! It would have been **epic**!"

**Alpharius:** "All the more reason not to answer it"

**Custodian:** "Speaking of an answer?"

**Alpharius:** "I'm afraid, my good Custodes, it'll have to wait. The narrative's about to jump to another perspective again"

_Damn straight. __You've had enough time in the spotlight._


	146. Chapter 146

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX**

**"DEATH AND DELAYS"**

"_Why ... so ... __**SERIOUS?**__ ... it's just a game"_

_- The Deceiver (allegedly, but we're quite confident he ripped it off _The Dark Knight_)_

_Any of our dear readers who have been blessed with the experience of a London Underground tube station need no purple prose to summon forth the image of what such an environment is like. For those who, thankfully, have never set foot in such a location; count yourselves lucky. Suffice to say, we now find ourselves in such a locale, empty save for three individuals sitting on a single bench in front of a large poster advertising the upcoming release of another mindless waste of cinematography from those find individuals who gave us the _Scary Movie _franchise (and others, but they are too horrible to mention. I believe the Dark Eldar use them as torture devices in Commorragh). _

**Vulkan:**_ Still visibly in shock. "_Fulgrim killed us"

**Corax:** _Also not looking too good. Probably in rum withdrawal. _"He killed us. **Fulgrim** killed us"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**Vulkan:** "We're ... dead?"

**Corax:** _A shrug of the shoulders, still wearing the black armour of the Raven Guard._ "I guess"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze ..._

**Vulkan:** "But ... **Fulgrim**! Fulgrim for the Imperial Truth's sake! I still remember him as a kid who used to steal the latest _Victoria's Secret_ catalogue from that hot scientist girl who used to monitor our progress and hide away in his incubation tube and fantasize not about the models but the _underwear they wore_!"

**Corax:** "I remember. Seemed to have trouble with the whole 'transparent glass walls' concept with his incubation tube. Personally I think that's what drove Horus mad. Probably because Fulgrim had a much larger-"

**Vulkan:** "We're not entering that old suspicion that Horus' entire megalomania and gargantuan ego is merely born from his self-consciousness over his small-"

**Jaghatai Khan:** "Silence! Someone comes!"

_They pause in this rather disturbing conversation and listen out. Eventually they hear the sounds of an approaching tube train. As it pulls up to the station platform, the doors open. Sounds of merriment can be heard inside, and as they glance into the interior of the train car they are surprised to see what could only be described as the interior of a medieval feudal banquet hall. A dark-skinned man in many layers of clothes pops his head out and flashes a large grin at the Primarchs. _

**Marquis de Carabas:** "Sorry about that; wrong station chaps"

_The head retreats, the doors close shut, and the train speeds off._

**Corax:** "Well that's probably the second most strangest thing I've ever seen"

**Vulkan:** "What's the first?"

**Corax:** "A Space Marine with a multilaser" _[Author's Note:C S Goto dig #17,564. You may record it if you wish]_

**Jaghatai Khan:** "Silence! Something comes!"

**Vulkan:** "Oh it's some**thing** this time? Well at least your vocabulary is expanding ..."

_They hear the approach of another train, yet as it appears through the tunnel it takes the shape of a rather large sperm whale. As it speeds past:_

**Whale:** "Well at least I'm not falling towards a planet this time, eh chaps?"

_When it disappears into the other tunnel:_

**Corax:** "OK ... admittedly **that** was stranger"

_As he finishes they look back at the platform to see another train already waiting with doors open. A head again pops out from between the open doors, only this time the face is a familiar (if a little unwelcome) one. _

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Hey peeps! Long time! How's it snizzle dizzle in me middle?"

**Vulkan:** "I believe it's asking us how we currently are"

**Corax:** "I gathered. What's it doing here? Come to think of it ... where **are** we?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "You're dead"

_The Primarchs are visibly startled by the sudden appearance of the ancient Farseer seated between them staring at the open doors of the train and the Ultramarine's Primarch standing in the empty carriage. _

**Corax:** "What the hell are you doing here? And what do you mean 'we're dead'?"

**Vulkan:** "It makes sense. I definitely remember Fulgrim repeatedly penetrating me-" _All assembled raise a collective eyebrow._ "-with his swords" _The eyebrows are lowered with visible disappointment. _

**Corax: **"OK, we may be dead, but what are you two, Rob and Eldrad, doing here? Are you two dead as well?"

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Snipers man! Thousands of them! All independently firing at **my ass**!"

**Vulkan:** "You were **assassinated**?"

_A second head appears besides Roboute._

**Marneus Augustus Calgar:** "Er ... hi guys"

**Vulkan:** "You too Calgar? I thought you were supposed to be a **God of War**? Or is the new marine 'dex a pack of lies?"

_A third head appears besides Calgar's._

**Ortan Cassius:** "Yes, well ... it appears we were caught unprepared. I believe, however, that our battle-brothers are making the lives of those assassins miserable"

**Ultramarines:** _Calling out from within the train._ "No we're not!"

**Vulkan:** _Laughing._ "Rob, you got your **entire** **chapter** killed?"

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Quiet you. What are all of them?" _He points further down the platform, where the entire Salamander Chapter sits. _"Or them?" _Further up the Raven Guard and the White Scars sit sharing rum._

**Vulkan:** "Holy crap ... I'm getting flashbacks of Istvaan III here ..."

**Corax:** "Have some rum, it'll help dispense with the inevitable stilted narrative" _[Author's Note:I've no idea who'll eventually cover that part of the Horus Heresy when the Black Library stops milking the cash cow with pointless side-stories and gets back on track. Probably when they ret-con so much of the 40K universe the whole franchise collapses upon itself in a massive black hole of narrative discontinuity ... oh wait ... _

_**THE CABAL:**__ "Fight for Horus, Alpharius! Chaos will eventually destroy itself! Leaving Humanity free!"_

_**Alpharius:**__ "So you're asking me to trust an ancient order of alien Magnificent Bastards and believe that a primordial force that existed long before Humanity crawled from the oceans will disappear after we finish indulging ourselves in excessive violence and sex? Did you see what happened to the Eldar? Do you realise that frankly none of this __**makes any sense**__?"_

_**THE CABAL:**__ "Will you join us?"_

_**Alpharius:**__ "Sure ... I see no reason not to"_

_... yeah. I'll leave that here and return to my pointless waste of your time]_

**Vulkan:** "But why are **you** here Eldrad? How did you die?"

**Eldrad:** "Corrupted Blackstone Fortress, at the end of the Eye of Terror campaign. I know the campaign's ending was a huge pile of crap, but I didn't realise you guys had wiped it from your memories already"

**Vulkan:** "But, you came back. You helped us with the summer campaign last year"

**Eldrad:** "Don't be silly, I've been dead all this ..." _His face darkens. _"It couldn't be that cliché"

**Vulkan:** "That wasn't you?"

**Corax:** "If so, then who was it? Who's disguised as Eldrad?

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze?_


	147. Chapter 147

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN**

**"PLANS AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT"**

"_This plan has the survival rate of the average peace protester at the gates of the Imperial Palace!" - Attributed to some Imperial General_

_London Underground stations have been reported, by some of the top scientists in the field, to exist in a parallel dimension separate from 'normal' London. Not quite London Below (which, thankfully, to date, only exists in the slightly twisted imagination of Neil Gaimen), but still a different reality than the one you leave when you enter the subterranean halls of refuse, beggars, tourists, clean-suit businessmen, naïve families visiting their favourite London attraction, and skimpy-dressed girls heading out for an evening of dance, fun, drugs, alcohol, and possible taxi rape._

_**Asdrubael Vect:**__ "Wait ... they get raped by __**taxis**__? How is that poss- .... no wait, I've figured it out. Nice one there: I see what you did ... might try it myself ..."_

_... ergh. That'll teach me to make borderline jokes when he's in earshot._

**Corax:** "So we have four entire Chapters wiped out, one of which is the poster boys for 40K itself, and someone of unknown agenda is masquerading as Eldrad"

**Vulkan:** "Plus there's a sperm whale who seems to want our phone numbers. I think we need to get out of here"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**Eldrad:** "That's a fair assessment of the situation Khan"

**Vulkan:** "How can you understand a word he says? Or rather ... **doesn't** say?"

**Eldrad:** "Ever tried speaking Eldar? The language is so subtle even **breathing** between the wrong syllables can turn 'can I get your number, I really like you' to 'I want to eat your liver and use your bathroom'. It's bloody awkward spending a night on the town in a Craftworld without being slapped by at least **half** the women you try and chat up. Damn DJ's play their music too loud ..."

**Corax:** "Yes ... while I'm sure your sad tales of trying to get laid will amuse us for hours, we frankly don't have the time ... **if** there's such a thing as 'time' in this world ..."

**Vulkan:** "Good point. We've no idea how long we've been here. We could have been sitting on that bench for decades, even centuries, with the universe falling to the Plot Hole already. The sooner we get out of here the better, and the sooner we escape that damned whale ... it's looking at me funny"

**Whale:** "You look pretty"

**Vulkan:** "OK ... now we **definitely** need to get out of here" _Swallows his pride and turns to the Eldar. _"Any ideas?"

**Eldrad:** "If I had any idea of how to get out of here, don't you think I would have done it already?"

**Vulkan:** "Perhaps you did, but you knew that by yourself you wouldn't be able to act on the plan. You needed help. Help in Primarch-flavours"

**Eldrad:** _Raises an eyebrow, then sighs._ "Good point. You know your tropes well it seems. Yes I did have one idea on how to escape, but myself alone could not accomplish it. With the help of you genetically engineered freaks ... however ... perhaps it might **just** be possible"

**Corax:** "What's the plan?"

**Eldrad:** "Well-"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Somewhere deep in space, the countless thousands of spawned living vessels gently glide towards their destination, guided by the will of their own Hive Mind. A separate entity to the one we know so well, different in so many ways. For while the true Hive Mind thinks only of consumption, and 'What the hell did I eat on that last planet? My bowels are the like the bloody Sydney Opera House!', this Hive Mind thinks of only one thing ..._

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "Hmm ... do these rending claws make my ass look larger?"

_A couple dozen light years behind, just inside reliable psyker detection range, the WAAAGHorde follows her. Ghazghkull Mak Uruk Barbara Lucy Thraka III ½ stares out the window at the bleak vastness of space._

**Ghazghkull:** "Me can't see her!"

**Perturabo:** "For the last time Ghaz, there's six light years between us and Sarah. That's almost sixty trillion kilometres, or five times the distance from one end of Carl's beer cabinet to the other. You're not going to be able to see her with the naked eye; she needs to have existed in that spot for the last six years and she only dropped out of the Warp five minutes ago"

**Ghazghkull:** "Bah! Light's too slow! Not like Orks! Orks are fast! And if they have red paint jobs, dey iz **FASTER**!"

**Perturabo:** "Than light? Your knowledge of rudimentary physics only just surpasses that of Hollywood"

**Angron:** "What's physics doing in this universe anyway?"

**Perturabo:** "Touché brother, touché"

**Sylvannas Windrunner:** "One month, one month, one month ..."

**Perturabo:** "You've been repeating that for a while. What are you counting down for?"

**Sylvannas Windrunner:** "I get a new character model in _Wrath of the Lich King._ Finally, some half a decade since WoW first started destroying the lives of socially inept geeks everywhere, I get to be a High Elf again, not some lanky slut of a Night Elf"

**Perturabo:** "Night Elves are sluts, apparently?"

**Sylvannas Windrunner:** "You've seen the way they dress, right?"

**Perturabo:** "Dear, this is high fantasy. **All** women dress like that. The fact you're actually in a dress that covers ninety percent of your body is a miracle unto itself"

**Sylvannas Windrunner:** "Consider yourself lucky. This body isn't what it used to be. Decomposition has seen to that"

**Perturabo:** _Grimaces._ "Charming. I should introduce you to my brother Ferrus. I'm quite certain there isn't a '-phillia' that he hasn't experienced, posted about, or fantasised over" _He frowns._ "I wonder what he's up to, and if he's found that Titan yet"

**Ghazghkull:** "You mean the one we've got in the hold?"

**Perturabo:** "Oh yes, you've got it. I should mention that to him, otherwise he's probably scouring the five corners of the universe trying to find the damn thing. Dad's the type to not forget anything: I mean he still takes the piss out of the Iron Cage incident"

**Angron:** "I thought you **won** that?"

**Perturabo:** "I'm not entirely sure ... something happened, but depending on which Index Astartes you read, or developer you listen to, something else entirely might have happened instead"

**Angron:** "So ... who won?"

**Perturabo:** "You did ... quite obviously"

**Angron:** "Hell yeah. I rule"

**Perturabo:** "What's my sister-in-law up to now?"

**Chained Psyker:** _Twitching and bleeding all over the place, held to the floor by daemonically inscribed runes of power. _"She wonders if the rending claws makes her rear end seem larger than it proportionally is"

**Perturabo:** "Her ass is huge, everyone knows that"

**Angron:** "Hell yeah. That's why I married the woman!" _He shuffles his feet as everyone raises an eyebrow in disbelief._ "Of course ... she's also slightly insane and commits mass genocide like most women apply make-up ..."

**Perturabo:** _Lays an understanding hand on Angron's shoulder._ "She was your dream woman wasn't she?"

**Angron:** "Not really. Only thing I dream about is death and devastation on a planetary scale"

**Perturabo:** "Please don't tell me that's your version of a wet dream ..."

**Angron:** _Opens his mouth._

**Perturabo:** "I said **please don't tell me**. For the love of ..." _He sighs. _"Where the hell is Lorgar when I need him?"

_**Lorgar:**__ "Where the hell __**am**__ I?"_


	148. Chapter 148

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT**

**"DON'T CHEW WITH YOUR MOUTH OPEN"**

"_Protect the environment! Support your local Tyranid War veterans today! Prevent the Hive Mind from eating our planets!" - Greenpeace in the 41st millennium has some rather large problems_

_The Primarchs are genetically engineered super beings; gods amongst men, etc. Insert more hyperbole written by over-enthusiastic sci-fi fans suffering from too much sugar and near constant nerdgasms for the subject matter. Somewhere along the line common sense was long since taken down a dark alley by the Rule of Cool and raped to death in more ways than your average hentai tentacle beast can possibly imagine._

_**Asdrubael Vect:**__ "But not me"_

_Stop interrupting my scene-setting rants with your disturbing, near-borderline innuendo. Actually, forget the borderline. There was a line once in your life, but you left it long ways behind and its now about as foreign to you as a cohesive set of rules with the GW logo stamped on its cover is to the rest of us._

_**Asdrubael Vect:**__ "... there's a line?"_

_My point well made. Where was I?_

_Oh yes. Insane use of the Rule of Cool. Take Primarch size, for example. How tall are Primarchs? 8 feet? 10 feet? 20 feet? As tall as a __**skyscraper?!?**_

_The answer? Not large enough to fit through the average corridors of an Imperial Navy battleship, which is designed for the comfortable passage of beings around 6ft in height, as Magnus the Red (tall bastard he is) has now discovered._

**Magnus the Red:** "Any luck?"

**Falal:** _Pushing from behind (being the only one willing to do such an action-_

_**Tzeentch:**__ "Hey, it's not as if I wouldn't – Magnus has a really __**nice ass**__ in his Human form – but I have __**standards! **__Standards I tell you!"_

_-don't interrupt. You're confusing the reader). Anyway, Falal, pushing. _"Can't you get any smaller?"

**Magnus the Red:** "I'm already in my old Human form! I can't get any smaller than this unless you want me to **age backwards** into a kid again!"

**Tzeentch:** _Pulling Magnus by the hands. _"I refuse to believe you were ever a small child! You must have crash-landed on Prospero as a huge lump of nothing!"

**Magnus the Red:** "I was a kid once! I just refuse to remember any of it ... due to ... **reasons**"

**Falal:** _Giving up in exasperation._ "Oh woe is you and your crappy childhood. The only thing Fred had between her legs that wasn't powered by batteries was a ... no wait, Servitors **are** powered by batteries. Ignore me"

**Tzeentch:** _Giving up also._ "Well at least you guys **had** a childhood. I've existed for an infinite amount of time **before** the rise of sentient species that gave me my existence. Try figuring that out while you're drunk ... or sober for that matter"

**Magnus the Red:** "The Warp. There, solved. Couldn't they have made these corridors bigger?"

**Belial:** _Standing to one side with Ezekiel, watching with barely restrained amusement. _"When I told you none of us wear **power armour** inside these vessels, didn't anything click in your mind ... my lord Primarch?"

**Magnus the Red:** "You guys have the same sarcastic arrogance your Primarch"

**Ezekiel:** "And your sons have the same mindless stupidity as you do"

**Magnus the Red:** "But they're ... oh, I see what you did there"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Meanwhile, Slaanesh is getting some action, doing the bad thing, going all the way, making out, getting down and dirty – oh You Know What I Mean ..._

**Slaanesh:** _Testing out the limits of Departmento Munitorium standard-issue bed springs._"Finally that Lorgar's nowhere to be seen! I've waited **ages** to spice this lame fiction up with a little sex!"

**Random Imperial Naval Personnel #1:** "I've no idea who this 'Lorgar' is, but I'm not complaining!"

**Slaanesh:** "Less talking dear, more action. I didn't insist on missionary just to end up doing **any** sort of work here!"

**Random Imperial Naval Personnel #1:** "Sorry"

_There's some uncomfortable __**very**__ comfortable silence (excusing the sounds of the Departmento Munitorium standard-issue bed springs springing), then:_

**Slaanesh:** "Dammit. I'm hungry"

**Random Imperial Naval Personnel #1:** "I could go get a snack or something- ow. Wait ... I'm stuck ... no I'm not ..._" There's a loud 'crunching' sound. "_OUCH! HOLY CRAP! MY HIPS! THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BEND THAT WAY!" _More snapping and crunching sounds._ "HOLY GOD-EMPEROR MY **FEET ARE BY MY EARS!" **_Something else snaps with a horrible ... well 'snap' I suppose. _"WAS THAT MY RIBS?!? ****, THAT **WAS **MY RIBS!!" _More crunching._ "HOW THE HELL IS THIS POSSIBLE?!? THERE'S NO WAY I CAN FIT IN-" _Muffled screaming ensues._

**Slaanesh:** "Hmm ... tasty" _She looks up at the fifty or so other Naval personnel who were waiting patiently in line for their turn. _"Right, who's next?"

**Random Imperial Naval Personnel #2:** "On one hand, that was both disturbing and exceedingly gross. On the other hand **what a way to go**" _Dives onto the bed, much to Slaanesh's glee._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_We switch away from this family-friendly scene to see what Khorne and Nurgle are up to:_

**Khorne:** _Standing in a pool of bloody mashed-up limbs. _"You're doing it **wrong**! Cut, sweep, cut, and sweep again! Use some elbow!"

**Azrael:** _Bleeding from more wounds than you'd think possible on the average Human body. _"Oh, so it's cut and **sweep?** I was doing sweep and **cut**! I think I've got the idea now"

**Sammael:** _From where he lies on the floor in bloody chunks. _"Thanks for the combat tips Big K!"

**Khorne:** "No worries" _As he holds his axe high to meet Azrael's sword, an alarm begins to sound across the ship. The blood and gore disappears, to be replaced by the most of the Dark Angels sitting in a meditative stance around a small urn which churns out blood-coloured smoke._"Hmm ... looks like we'll have to recommence this another time. All right everyone, snap out of the drug-induced communal hallucination!"

**Azrael:** _Standing up and flexing muscles he hasn't physically used for several hours. _"I can't see why we couldn't do this in real life instead of using your Chaos sorcery"

**Khorne:** _Picking up the urn. A label on the side reads 'Not For Children Under 8'._"Firstly, I'm not having all the inevitable death and decay making Nurgle happy, and secondly use 'sorcery' in my presence again and you **will** get your ass punched out through your face"

**Azrael:** "Fair point. Wonder what all the fuss is about this time"

**Sammael:** "Hopefully not another 'wardrobe malfunction' from Slaanesh"

**Khorne:** "Who knows? Lets scene-transit to the bridge"

_They do that, bypassing the miles of corridors between the hanger bay they were previously in, and the immense bridge of the vessel. They also ignore the hours it would have taken them if they had obeyed the laws of physics and not the laws of Narrative Convenience._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Azrael:** _Walking up to his Primarch._ "What's up?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Firstly, you're a **Space Marine.** Don't use such casual 'modern' language like that in my presence again" _Looks at the camera. _"That goes for you Graham too" _Looks back at Azrael._ "Secondly, it's Aerith ... or Aeris ... or whatever she wants to be called in the next chapter of the _Complication of Final Fantasy VII: Lets Rape This Cash Cow Some More_"

**Tzeentch:** "What's she done this time?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "I've just received an astropathic telecommunication from her. She's holding Luthor hostage until we surrender to the Plot Hole and it's apparent commercial right to our universe"

**Magnus the Red:** _Speaking from within the chunk of corridor that Tzeentch teleported to the bridge. _"What are we going to do?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "The plan hasn't changed Mag. We rendezvous with the others, use that book you stole from the Necrons to combine these Key Aspects of Narrative, and create ourselves a good-old fashioned Ass Pull of a Deus Ex Machina to save the day"

**Slaanesh:** "Hell yeah!" _There's a loud belch from her direction._

**Lion El'jonson:** "I don't know what's more impressive. That a girl your size managed such a manly belch, or that you pulled it off without opening your mouth"

**Slaanesh:**_ Pleasantly embarrassed. __"_Aww shucks you guys ..."

**TO BE CONTINUED ...**


	149. Chapter 149

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE**

**"IF ELDAR GOTO THORPE"**

"_Our crusade may one day adopt another name, but it will never truly end. In the far future there will only be war ... all right Dan, I've done my product placement act. Can we get on with the ****ing story now please?" - Sigismund, 1st Captain of the Imperial Fists_

**Dawn Blade:** "Wow this is super-special-sugar-coated awesome with a cherry on top. Is it a dojo? It is a dojo isn't it? It's a super-special-awesome dojo will bells on! Oh I **do** love dojos!"

**Alpharius:** _Gritting his teeth._ "Yes ... it ... is ... a ... dojo ..."

**Dawn Blade:** "What's inside it? Please tell me what's inside it! I want to know! Oh I do! I do, I do, I do!!"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Finally snapping after almost five continuous weeks of this banter._ "SHUT UP! SHUT THE **** UP! SHUT YOUR **** UP YOUR ***** AND **** YOUR **** WITH A **** AND ****** IN ***** WITH A ***** AND YOUR **** IN ***** **** ****** ***** **** ***** WITH A SPATULA!"

_As the group stands in shocked silence at this family-unfriendly outburst from everyone's favourite Warcraft character, we quickly cut to a scene thousands of light years away and in another universe entirely (our own) as two individuals sit down for the latest briefing on _Starcraft II.

_**Andy Chambers:**__ "What's up Chris?"_

_**Chris Metzen:**_His ears perking in the direction of the fictional planet our heroes are now standing in stunned silence upon._ "Someone's misusing Blizzard intellectual property!"_

_Cut to a similar office on the other side of the Atlantic ocean:_

_**Jervis Johnson:**__ "Hey Alan, what's up? (Gotta stop saying that, I sound like a Space Marine)"_

_**Alan Merrett:**_His ear's are perking too, in the same direction. _"Someone's misusing Games Workshop intellectual property!"_

_We now return our attention to the stunned group of Primarch, Eldar, Space Marine, and one ordinary super-powerful Human mage. _

**Alpharius:** "Wow bondie, I never knew you had such ... colourful language inside you"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "I ... I'm sorry ... I just ... I just **hate** that damn sword! And the words ... well you guys were using them the other day to describe the latest Space Marine codex" _She gestures at Taldeer and Mephiston, who both immediately look venomous._

**Mephiston:** "God-Emperor-damned sons of Guilliman get one hundred pages of sucking off from our beloved creators and what do my fellow sons of Sanguinius and I get? A lousy web document written in Jervis Johnson's lunch break ..."

**Taldeer:** "They blew up a Craftworld. Words fail to describe the level of NERD RAGE I'm festering ..."

**Alpharius:** "On a scale of one to ten, where one is Keith Ledger as the Joker, and ten is the inevitable epic fail of the upcoming _Watchmen _film adaptation?"

**Taldeer:** _Pauses for a moment as she ponders. _"Probably a seven point five. It's definitely a gross act of obvious hyperbole in order to fuel the current perception that Space Marines are the great Mary Sues of the 40K franchise and cannot be presented with an obstacle their superior Sue-ness cannot overcome. On the other hand, it's not exactly **impossible**, just **very, very improbable**. About as likely as the average Imperial citizen winning the upcoming Sector Lottery."

**Alpharius:** _Winces._ "A seven-point-five, eh? Wasn't that the rage-o-meter you supplied for the major 'reveal' in, to date, the only decent novel staring myself, my brother, and our Legion?"

**Taldeer:** "The absurd CABAL and their paper-thin plot to support the Heresy so Chaos would eventually extinguish itself after millennia of activities committed by university students of every species on every inhabited planet in the known universe? Yeah ... my stance hasn't changed. Could have been an awesome idea, but it failed"

**Mephiston:** "In that it presents you Eldar as being somewhat, to be blunt, **stupid**?"

**Taldeer:** "We have the Great Enemy to do that for us, dear"

**Alpharius:** "You mean C S Goto?"

_Dun dun __**duuun!**_

**Taldeer:** _Winces._ "Do not utter the True Name of the Great Enemy! His evil is beyond description by mere mortals such as ourselves! The time will soon come that the Day of Reckoning will hand us a Black Library novel concerning my people written by an individual who is both passionate and respectful of our society and ways"

_In a recent interview, Gavin Thorpe has stated he wants to write an Eldar trilogy._

**Taldeer:** "... dear gods in heaven ..."

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "So ... getting back onto some semblance of a topic (I haven't heard this much random crap since that time I accidentally left my tower in Theramore and wandered into the Barrens ...)" _She shudders at the memory._ "-why are we here? Don't get me wrong, it's a nice valley and the view's spectacular, especially that plain down there" _She points down the valley where the mountains end and the grassy plains begin until the horizon rears up and declares sightseeing is over._

**Alpharius:** _Shudders._ "That plain ... the nightmares ..." _As if sensing him, the grassy plain rears up and spits out some dinosaur-sized bones._

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "Been here before then?"

**Pie May:** "Indeed he has, foolish son of a corpse!"

**Alpharius:** _Groaning._ "Get off my shoulder Pie May"

**Pie May:** _After performing a gravity defying double-spin kick that knocks Alpharius flying fifty feet into the mountainside. _"Pie May to friends, **master** to you!"

**Mephiston:** "Pie May what?"

**Pie May:** "Pie May **Will** Smack Your Face Silly As You Don't Respect Him!"

_Which he then proceeds to do. Quite graphically. Meanwhile, several thousand light years away ..._

_**Horus:**_Muttering._ "Damn good comeback ..."_

_Returning our attention to the present scenario:_

**Mephiston:**_ Picking himself up off the floor. "... _ouch"

**Alpharius:** _Picking himself out of the mountain. _"I gather my idiot brothers aren't here yet?"

**Pie May:** _Picking his nose._ "They send message. They be late. They apologise and offer discounts off official Primarchs merchandise. Magnus adds he hopes you have a crowbar on hand"

**Alpharius:** "What the hell has he got himself into this time?"

**Pie May:** _Turning around and walking back to his dojo. _"I neither care nor no. If you are interested, tea will be served in forty-five minutes. That is if the wraithmaids are bothering to do work today. Yesterday they declared their rights to fair wages and girly gossip. I think they clearly insane"

**Alpharius:** "Tell me about it ... I'm surrounded by insanity on a daily basis ..."

**Taldeer:** "GRIMDARK, Alpharius, GRIMDARK through and through"

**Alpharius:** "I swear when this is over I'll force Malcador to make Mika the artist for the Imperium's next national anthem, and re-design power armour to look like teletubbies"

**Taldeer:** "That's horrifying!"

**Alpharius:** "I'm joking"

**Taldeer:** _Raises an eyebrow sceptically, but Alpharius is already following Pie May._ "Who's side is he on?"

**Mephiston:** _Shrugs. _"The Hydra has many heads, some of them may be looking in the same direction as us, while some may not. In other words; who's to say, who knows, and who cares. So long as we accept he can't be trusted, I'm sure we can find some way to trust him"

**Taldeer:** "That makes no sense"

**Mephiston:** "I've just had the seven shades of crap beaten out of me by a midget Japanese old guy. Give me a break. Come on, I could do with a rest and something to drink, and maybe Pie May knows a place where we can put this damn sword so no one can hear the crap it insists on saying"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "What about me?"

**Mephiston:** "Does Azeroth have tea? Or is that too British for you guys?"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "Well ..."

**Pie May:** _Calling from the doorway._ "What you think this is? _Starbucks_ ? You drink tea! No questions!"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "I guess that solves that"

**Mephiston:** "Good idea. Do not anger the short sensei"

**Taldeer:** "Weren't they descendants of your corpse god?"

_Meanwhile ..._

_**Jervis Johnson:**_His ears perk up._ "Someone's mentioning out of date fluff!"_

_meow!_

_**Jervis Johnson:**_Winces._ "Crap ... sorry Gav!"_

**Mephiston:** "Yeah ... best not mention that"


	150. Chapter 150

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY**

**"TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK"**

"_In the beginning there was the word, and the word was 'roll'. _  
_Following the word was the turn, and the turn was declared the first._  
_Proceeding the turn was the game, and the game was played._  
_During the game where the rules, and debated they were._  
_At the height of debate was the word spoken, and the word was 'roll'"_  
_- The Wargamer's Bible, Chapter I, versus 1-4_

_It should be noted that despite their general perceived love of the drink, the British know crap about tea and how to drink it with both style and grace. The Japanese on the other hand, may know a little more. At least that's what Pie May insists as he forces (politely of course) our heroes to go through several needlessly complex stages in both the preparation, serving, and drinking of the fabled liquid. Four hours later ..._

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "This is ridiculous! And why am I wearing this outfit? What is it anyway?"

**Alpharius:** "I believe it's called a kimono, and you do look rather attractive in it" _[This is a strange fact, which of course could just be my own personal opinion. Hence I make no effort to enforce it, and this will very likely be my only mentioning of it] _"Then why devote so much word count to it?" _[No reason, just adding filler]_ "Which we can do without"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _A little confused._ "Who are you talking to?"

**Alpharius:** _Suddenly realising he had slipped into conversation with the narrator [Me], who is invisible and inaudible to all but the most genre-savvy of PRIMARCHS characters (a surprisingly large number of them, including the stupid ones. Which may just go to show ... something). _"Oh, no one in particular" _Remembers the subject of the conversation._ "Relax. The art is to take your time and savour each moment. Feel the aroma, the texture, the sensation, the pleasures-"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "Alpharius if you continue to equate drinking the essence of plants soaked in boiling water with sex I shall most likely vomit, possibly all over this rather nice ... kimono was it?"

**Alpharius:** "Who says I was equating it with sex?" _He frowns and looks closer._ "Or do we have a particularly dirty little mind locked in there? Maybe all those little electronic ticker tapes that floated around Gnomeregan these days are right ..."

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Almost choking in her tea._ "With an **orc**? Jesus Christ man; I have **some **standards!"

**Alpharius:** "But they're **Blizzard** orcs; all noble and that. With a sense of honour, a taste in fashion, and some damn cool weaponry. Not to mention some of the biggest badasses ever to grace the multi-faceted tapestry of modern fantasy"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "Except Thrall"

**Alpharius:** "Except Thrall" _He takes a sip. The tea is a blend of herbs both real and fictional, and the strange disparity between this makes describing the taste a little difficult. Imagine chicken, if it was made of vanilla chocolate chip ice cream soaked in beef gravy with a dash of garlic. No, I didn't expect that to make any sense to you guys. _"So what's the real story between you two anyway?"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Makes a face. Out of paper. She's skilled with origami like that. She then grimaces and replies. _"We got drunk. We slept together. Complications ensue, along with much angst" _She frowns._ "Trouble is, while I'm **sure** it happened I can't remember any of it"

**Alpharius:** "That would be the power of millions of fangirls writing endless fan fiction describing that very deed. You'd be surprised how much soon turns to 'certain' fact, rather than 'actual' fact. If enough people say an event has happened then it **has** happened, but not necessarily **actually happened**" _Upon seeing the blank expression on her face, Alpharius sighs. _"This isn't making any sense to you is it?"

_As she shakes her head Mephiston walks into the room through the sliding paper doors. He has exchanged his power armour for something lighter and made of cloth. It won't be stopping bullets any time soon, but the way he wears it loosely to show off his Astartes physique will certainly please the fangirls. _

**Mephiston:** "Is my Lord Alpharius confusing you, my dear?" _He sits down and flashes one of those deadly Blood Angel smiles (that is, what they wear when they're not being blood-thirsty maniacs. When they're being the smooth, suave and sophisticated bastards they're universally renowned for). _"If you wish I can change the topic to one of a more pleasing conversation"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Practically forming puddles at her feet._ "Please do"

_Alpharius rolls his eyes, but then his area of expertise has always been mind-numbing Xanatos Roulettes that confuse and destroy the minds of lesser beings such as myself and you. _

**Alpharius:** "I'm just trying to explain the basic principle behind our plan to defeat the Plot Hole"

**Mephiston:** "That's the thing: **no one** understands! We're not even sure what this 'Plot Hole' is! Only that it's managed to devastate Terra, fracture the Imperium, corrupt several Primarchs **and our beloved God-Emperor**, all the while managing to remain completely incomprehensible in both structure, background and purpose. So I ask this, with all the grave serious nature an Astartes can muster: W – T – F - ?"

**Alpharius:** "A well constructed question, which deserves a well-constructed answer. Simply put: the Plot Hole is a malevolent entity spawned from the first Plot Hole ever written. I know not what it was, only that in time, fed by the narrative discontinuities of further fictional works during the course of Human history, it has grown in both size and hunger. It has come to our universe, because, bluntly put, none of makes much sense, there's more narrative discontinuities abound than fleas on a Grot's back, and decades of retroactive discontinuities and plain unashamed re-writes have created more than enough sustenance for the Plot Hole"

**Mephiston:** "Basically this entire universe is an 'all-you-can-eat buffet'?"

**Alpharius:** "Pretty much. Blondie here-" _He jerks a thumb in the direction of Jaina Proudmoore._ "-saw her entire universe devoured thanks, mainly, to the massive array of ret-cons that is _World of Warcraft_, although Blizzard weren't exactly blameless before that. Now-" _He leans forward in a dramatic manner to emphasis the point. Imagine the music, if we had a soundtrack, becomes more intense at this point._ "-we can't destroy the Plot Hole via our conventional methods-"

**Mephiston:** "Shoot at it, shoot at it again, and then nuke it to be sure?"

**Alpharius:** "Exactly. That won't work against the Plot Hole, because it's not a physical entity that can be harmed in the conventional sense. In fact, I'm not entire sure it can be killed. To kill the Plot Hole would be to destroy narrative discontinuities everywhere, which is, needles to say, completely impossible. Ergo the best we can hope to achieve is to merely force the Plot Hole to withdraw"

**Mephiston:** "And how do you plan to do that?"

**Alpharius:** "By patching up our universe; by fixing all our plot holes and streamlining the narrative continuity that underlines the very fabric of our existence"

**Mephiston:** _He snorts._ "And how likely is it that Games Workshop will ever write background fiction that doesn't contradict both itself and every other so-called 'canon' works. The Black Library by itself has enough plot holes between books (and in some cases **inside the same book**) to feast the Plot Hole for years ... if there's anything left by then"

**Alpharius:** "Yes, it's unlikely this problem will be sorted out by 'The Powers That Be', so to speak. Instead we're going to have to solve our own problems before the Plot Hole consumes us all and this entire universe collapses upon itself in a narrative black hole of sorts. Ergo; if you want a problem solved, do it yourself"

**Mephiston:** "We're going to write our own background?"

**Alpharius:** "Indeed, through the power of fandom! _Warhammer 40,000_ fans around the globe have been accepted and ignoring parts of the background to suit their whims for decades! Sometimes their own universes are far better than the 'official' version. What we're trying to do, Meph, is tap into that power and us it for ourself. Write our own universe; a more consistent one free of any of the narrative taint that attracts the Plot Hole"

**Mephiston:** "But ... didn't you use Alan Merrett's laptop to do just that last year?"

**Alpharius:** "Plot Hole, Meph, one big giant plot hole. I hate it as much as you do, but we can't use that convenient Plot Device again. We need something new, something different. The badly-written narrative demands it! We are all slaves to the narrative, Meph, and until we escape we are bound to their whims"

**Mephiston:** "This is all rather convenient isn't it?"

**Alpharius:** "Blame the writer" _[Thank you]_ "Even if he has to yank us by the proverbial dog chain from scene to scene" _[Wouldn't happen if you only co-operated]_ "Which will never happen"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "You're talking to yourself again"

_The paper doors slide open again, and Taldeer walks in. Typically, for a Space Elf, she looks far more stunning than the mundane Human Jaina in exactly the same attire, and the way she moves destroys any hope of continuing this complex conversation in the minds of our two male main characters. As all Elves, she's sex on a stick. Bloody pansy pointy-eared ..._

**Taldeer:** "What are you boys talking about?"

**Mephiston:** "Whatever it was, it's now been replaced by something far more suitable for a modern parody sketch show"

**Alpharius:** "And by that he means sex. Lots of sex"

**Mephiston:** "Thank you Alpharius, and thank you for your tactful addition to my comment. I can see why your Legion prefers to indulge itself in needlessly complex cloak-and-dagger scenarios than more important occupations like, say, **making babies**"

**Alpharius:** "Dammit! The one thing in this accursed universe I'm hopeless at! Damn you Neil Strauss! Damn you to **hell**!"


	151. Chapter 151

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONE**

**"CAN YOU GUESS WHERE THEY ARE?"**

"_Brother Artimus, prepare the divine Holy Orb of Antioch, and I swear __**if I hear any of you make another God-Emperor-damned Monty Python quote there I WILL turn this crusade around and go home! Don't think I won't!**__" - High Marshal Helbrecht_

_Above the ruins of Terra, the great fleet of the Plot Hole lazily drifts in a semi-stationary orbit (it changes to suit dramatic camera angles). One of the vessels, possessing a curious shape akin to a dish plate balance upon a flattened egg cosy with two glowing vibrators either side of it, is currently home to our (supposedly) traitors. _

**Replicator:** "Good morning, and welcome to the Federation Standard-Issue Annoying Barely Functional Technology of the Week Replicator. What can I replicate for you today?"

**Konrad Curze:** _Pausing to consider what his growling stomach really wants._ "The blood of innocents, gently warmed to room temperature, with a small Hawaiian umbrella on the side"

**Replicator:** "Certainly. What blood type would you like?"

**Konrad Curze:** "There's types? Damn ... Angron might know, but he still thinks I betrayed and killed- ... wait ... **does **he know? Where is Angron in the plot? What's he doing? Dammit, even **I've** lost the plot and I'm both a reasonably intelligent man and **part of the damn story**!"

**Replicator:** "What blood type would you like? Failure to answer this question within the next thirty seconds will lead to spontaneous combustion of your Federation Standard-Issue Annoying Barely Functional Technology of the Week Replicator"

**Konrad Curze:** "Spontaneous combustion?!? What the hell kind of idiot programmers would design a machine that **blows up **when you don't use it?"

**Replicator:** "Probably the same kind that designs machines that blow up when you **do** use them, or when the ship gets shot at, or hits something, or you're enjoying a lull period and nothings happening, or-"

**Konrad Curze:** "This happen often then?"

**Replicator:** "Pretty much. Oh, by the way? You haven't answered my question, so I get to blow up in your face now. Have a nice day!"

_The machine then promptly explodes, sending sparks flying over the place and leaving Konrad Curze with a nasty face burn. It heals about five seconds later, but forgets to clean off the soot._

**Konrad Curze:** "How useful ..."

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Entering the room from the expansive bathroom._ "Where the hell's the damn shower? All I can find is this sound booth thing!"

**Konrad Curze:** "It's a sonic shower dad, it cleans you with sound waves"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"How? By shouting at the dirty to magically leap off my body? What complete retard thought that was a good idea?" _He rages for a moment._ "Ah! Dammit all! I can't go out on a date smelling like the average table-top wargamer!"

**Konrad Curze:** _Blinks in surprise. _"You're going on a **date**?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Surprised eh? Didn't know your old man still had it? Got a date with that Norma Cenva chick from that 'expanded' _Dune_ crap. She's infuriatingly two-dimensional, but she's got a hot body so who am I to complain?"

**Konrad Curze:** "Wow ... congrats ... I guess ..."

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Such a nice ass, and gorgeous breasts-"

**Konrad Curze:** "Too much detail, dad"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Love to feel them against my-"

**Konrad Curze:** "**Way** too much detail! Stop it!"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I'll satisfy her for a year and a day, and with uber-genetic enhancement don't think I'm kidding 'cause, son, I ain't"

**Konrad Curze:** "Please stop talking. My sanity demands it"

_THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND! raises an eyebrow._

**Konrad Curze:** "Yes, perhaps 'sanity' wasn't the right word to use in context of who was speaking at the time ... but still – stop talking! Now ... where am I going to get a drink on this damn ship?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"They have a bar you know"

_The air itself doesn't have enough time to move out of Konrad's way. He creates a vacuum in his absence that almost sucks THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND! in. _

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Hmm ... maybe if I create a warp portal to an ocean world and borrow some of their water ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Konrad Curze drowns his sorrows in alcohol. A creep barmaid with a stupidly large hat tries to make cryptic conversation with him, but soon stops after Curze starts using the skin of her face to wipe up his spilt beer._

**Konrad Curze:** "Dammit Alpharius. What have you got me into this time?"

**Alpharius:** "Didn't I say you'll have to trust me a little this time?" _Knocking back some strange blue liquid (apparently it's illegal in most of the known multiverse, but doesn't stop everyone having a secret cache of it somewhere). _

**Konrad Curze:** _Almost falling off the bar stool in surprise._ "What the **hell** are you doing here? **How **are you here?"

**Alpharius:** "Quiet. I'm technically not supposed to be here, but I disguised myself as one of the redshirts of an away team before they beamed back up to this vessel. Luckily the transporter officer's one of my boys in disguise, but he doesn't know I'm here (and he shouldn't either)"

**Konrad Curze:** _Already lost, and we've only just started this old joke._ "What?"

**Alpharius:** "Look, I need the Plot Hole to trust you guys. You need to infiltrate their ranks completely to obtain the last Key Aspect we need"

**Konrad Curze:** "What could these guys have that we need? Don't these 'Key Aspects' of yours need to come from our universe?"

**Alpharius:** _Waving the question away._ "Technically yes, but the easiest method is to simply obtain a raw, unpolluted chunk of pure narrativium"

**Konrad Curze:** "Come again?"

**Alpharius:** _Leans closer. _"When you've gained the trust of the Council, they will most likely send you to the Training Ground. There you will find the narrativium. Secure some, and bring it back to this universe with you. By then we should have secured the other Key Aspects, and Magnus should have unlocked the secrets of the Tome of Tropes"

**Konrad Curze:** "So I'm sent on dangerous missions for an alliance that wants to kill us all and all Magnus gets tasked with is signing up to ?"

**Alpharius:** _Is not amused._ "Look here. I don't spend hours of my life, that could be used for more productive activities like going out and meeting real living people, making these unnecessarily convoluted plans just so you can point out the glaring errors of logic they contain"

**Konrad Curze:** "OK, fine. I go to these 'training grounds', find your narrativium, sneak away with it from under the very noses of an alliance of the most powerful beings in modern fiction, and bring it to you so we can complete some daft ritual that will make our universe unappetising to the Plot Hole and hope it buggers off and finds some other universe to devour ... like the _Battlestar Galactica _franchise, which is frankly a five-star gourmet feast for a Plot Hole"

**Alpharius:** "I resent the term 'ritual' ... anyway yes that's essentially what you'll be doing"

**Konrad Curze:** "Glad we've got that sorted ... are you explaining the plot to everyone now Al?"

**Alpharius:** "As you all seem to be too stupid to work it out yourself" _Looks at you for a moment there._ "It appears I have to. Ah well, it's no big deal for someone as awesome as I am. Enjoy your drink, you're about to be interrupted"

**Konrad Curze:** "By who?"

_Across the invisible loudspeakers placed around the ship, a horrifyingly familiar voice can be heard._

**Horus:** "ATTENTION FORCES OF THE PLOT HOLE! THIS IS HORUS, WARMASTER OF AWESOME! YOU THOUGHT ME DEAD? HAH! SEE HOW MY EXISTENCE PROVES YOU WRONG! NOW PREPARE TO DIE IN THE NAME OF ... well ... me I guess"

**Konrad Curze:** _Face palms. _"Dear Chaos in the Warp ... when will this nightmare end"

**Alpharius:** "Can't answer that. Let me have **some** secrets to taunt you all with"


	152. Chapter 152

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO**

**"THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THE BUDDY SYSTEM"**

"_A Nurgling is for death, not just for life" - DAMNATION slogan_

**Horus:** _Standing in heroic pose as his cape billows dramatically behind him (quite odd considering the regulated environments of a space ship has no wind to speak of). _"And thus did Caesar gaze upon the ocean and weep, for there were no more worlds to conquer!" _He laughs._ "Obviously gave up to early, the weakling fool! **Real** megalomaniacs don't stop at mere **oceans**! We conquer that! And the skies above our heads, and the space beyond that! And when there's no more worlds to conquer, no more civilisations to enslaves ... why we hire professional scientists to **create more universes**! Gotta keep the Legions occupied!" _He becomes slightly more reflective. _"That's what you lacked, father ... you saw an **end** to our victories, while we refused to consider such an eventuality"

_The giant hololithic screen, projected by the combined energies of a hundred bound and chained psyker thralls (from Thrall R Us, your handy local Thrall department store!) gently flickers as the magnificent face portrayed on its surface contemplates what his son has just said. Eventually that great mouth, from which so much wisdom has been spoken to enlighten the thousand tribes of man, opens and says:_

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Son, you're a ****ing idiot"

**Horus:** _Not impressed._ "Thanks dad. You always were helpful when I was trying to communicate to you. Do you remember what you told me when I confessed to you, in **trust**, that I had a major crush on Eldrad's mum? Do you remember what you told me to do?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Frowns for a moment, then remembers and smiles._ "Screw her brains out?"

**Horus:** "Yes dad. That's why none of the Eldar ever bothered to even **pretend** to bother to save your ass while I was laying the smack-down on Terra in the name of Chaos! You know your problem dad? You're too much of a colossal git to ever acknowledge the possibility that someone else **might**, just might be right"

**Hecate:** "Horus we didn't come all this way just so you could resolve your daddy issues"

**Horus:** "Don't say it like you don't have any Hec"

**Hecate:** "Yeah, but mine are mainly around a lack of feminine support while I was growing up. I mean, dad asked the Sisters of Silence to tell me what the hell was happening when I had my first period. Admittedly watching them try and explain it all with hand gestures and cardboard cut-outs **was** somewhat amusing ... but still ..."

**Horus:** _Somewhat disturbed. _"Yeah ... thanks for the info there ..." _Shakes his head in an effort to destroy the mental images. _"So ... dad ... surrender any time soon?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Hell no! You couldn't beat me last time; what the hell makes you think you can take me on this time?"

**Horus:** "Because this time ... I have **friends!**"

_There is a moment of silence._

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "We're not your friends fethbucket"

**Horus:** "I have temporary alliances that may or may not resolve in your downfall and my subsequent elevation to a status more relevant to my interests than currently is the case"

**Arthas/The Lich King:** "Better"

**Hecate:** "Jesus Christ, where did you learn all those words Horus? Have you been hanging around with Lorgar?"

**Horus:** "All last plot arc in fact. I'm sure you did appear somewhere back then, so I'm surprised you didn't notice"

**Hecate:** "Sorry, I was too busy looking at Cypher-"

_At the mention of his name, every woman in the franchise immediately goes dreamy-eyed and lost in their own fantasies (many of which I can't print here for fear of rousing the wrath of Lorgar)._

_**Lorgar:**__ "Damn straight!"_

**Horus:** "What the hell is it with that guy? What is it that he has that I don't?"

_Hecate raises an eyebrow._

**Horus:** "I wasn't inferring you specifically, just women in general ... it's just ... something I seem to have problem with ..." _He trails off into incoherent muttering._

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Er ... your screen's still on and I can hear every word you lot are saying. Can we finish this soon? They're serving pizza in the canteen today and I intend to grab as many of the Hawaiians as possible before all the leotard-wearing fools serving on this ship get them first"

**Horus:** "Me hurt you. Me defeat Plot Hole. I believe that adequately sums everything up"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Excellent. Right; I'm going to get absolutely pissed off my head and screw that Janeway chick. If you'd excuse me" _The screen turns off._

**Horus:** _Shudders._ "Christ dad, pick one of the **decent** babes from _Voyager _why don't you?" _He turns around and addresses those assembled before him._ "I will not lie to you, this may very well be the most difficult battle we'll ever have to fight, but with courage and determination **we shall prevail**!""

**Hecate:** "That's inspiring Horus, but it's just us three and the thralls"

**Horus:** "What? What about our army?"

**Hecate:** "You took off before they could arrive on-board. I did **try** to tell you before we jumped out-system!"

**Horus:** _Stands for a moment in silence. Then turns around and requests the screen be turns back on._ "Dad?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"What?"

**Horus:** "Er ... 'BRB'"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You daft git! For forgot your army didn't you! **AGAIN!**"

**Horus:** _Switches the screen off._ "This is just like the Siege of Terra all over again. Only this time I've got you to remind me where I'm screwing up"

**Hecate:** "Glad to oblige. Shall we pick our troops up and try this again?"

**Horus:** "As quickly as possible, oh ... and don't tell the others about this please?"

**Hecate:** _Looking as innocent as possible while hiding the warp-mobile behind her back, her fingers rapidly typing in the text message to 'send to all'._ "I wouldn't dream of it ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

**Vulkan:** _Feeling something vibrate in his ammo pouch. _"Hold up guys, I've got a text"

_The other three Primarchs and their respective troops hold in their advance through the twisting tunnels of the London underground. Eldrad looks back from where he leads at the front with barely restrained impatience._

**Corax:** _Slightly puzzled._ "A text? From who? From where? How can you get reception in the afterlife?"

**Vulkan:** "No idea" _He looks at his warp-phone and laughs. _"It's from Hec; Horus forgot his army when he tried to assault the Plot Hole's fleet stationed at Terra!" _His face suddenly falls. _"Terra! Holy Imperial Truth! They've reached Terra already! We must escape this place as quickly as possible ... Eldrad-"

**Eldrad:** "Relax; it's this way. I'm as eager to escape this place as you are. When I find out who's been impersonating me ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Meanwhile, Eldrad Ulthran passes through the many guarded doors to his inner sanctum within the Craftworld of Ulthwe. Once within his secluded abode, he reaches up and pulls off his face._

**Alpharius:** "Damn. This is getting **too** easy. Maybe I should spice things up ... no ... I doubt I'd appreciate that. Have to stick to the plan I told myself ... or I'll just get angry again and pretend to be me just to screw up my own social life again ..."

_He frowns._

**Alpharius:** "Who am I anyway?"


	153. Chapter 153

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE**

**"IT'S LIKE 'WHERE ARE THEY NOW?', BUT WITH CORPSES"**

"_Coming soon! GW table legs! Support your GW multi-part plastic gaming table! Available from your local GW Hobby Store now!"_

_Thing is, I've a horrible feeling I'll be proven right someday ..._

_Anyway, returning our attention once again to the ongoing tale of genetically modified angst-ridden super humans and their wacky adventures in the grim darkness of the far future, let us inquire as to the current whereabouts of some characters so far not mentioned by the ongoing narrative:_

_**Lorgar:**__ "Like me"_

_Like, for example, Lorgar. The current head of the Church of Chaos (email him now for your free introductory pack for the low-low cost of your immortal soul) and Primarch of the Word Bearers Legion was last seen on the Craftworld of Otogsc (no surprises for guessing where that name came from. _Rogue Trader _was more subtle with its references). I assume he's still there where I left him ..._

_view of a decidedly Lorgar-free Craftworld_

_Apparently not. This is incredibly embarrassing; a true author never loses track of his characters, is always aware of their whereabouts, personality, intentions and goals, never suffers them to random and arbitrary happenings, and this only goes to betray me as the talentless hack I am. In quick fix of this unfortunate situation I am forced to rely on that standard Asspull of all Black Library writers:_

_random Warp-spawned stuff happens_

_Falling to the floor, Lorgar picks himself up and dusts down his armour (why there's dust on his armour considering he's just exited the Warp is anyone's guess, but __**everyone**__ who falls down dusts themselves off when they stand back up. __**Always**__. It's like Comic Law or something)._

**Lorgar:** "Damn Chaos. Always doing completely random yet plot-relevant stuff when no one's looking. Where the hell am I?" _Sighs when he realises where he is again._ "Oh dammit. Back here again, and I **was **enjoying quality time with my kids"

**Arhra:** _Stepping from the shadows in a suitably mysterious manner (no way I'm going to convince you he's the Good Guy when he does shady stuff like that now, is there?). _"Aren't your kids long-dead by now? The downside to being immortal while they are not?"

**Lorgar:** "True, but they were half-Eldar, which tends to give their souls staying power in the Warp" _[Author's Note: Fluff lesson kids; only strong souls get to have an afterlife. The rest get eaten by Daemons. Which means Gaunt is going to get eaten by Daemons when he inevitably dies. There is __**justice**__ in the 41st millennium after all, it seems]_. "What the hell am I doing back here anyway?"

**Arhra:** "It is time"

**Lorgar:** _Looks at his watch._ "Oh, about four-thirty, or seven-eighty-five if we're using Eldarin calendar, or 'itty Time if we're using Ork time-management, or-"

**Arhra:** "No I said **it is** time, as in it's time we made our move"

**Lorgar:** "The chess game? Because I think I'm in an iron-fast position otherwise known as 'checkmate' to those who don't indulge in the greatest game ever made" _[He lies, it's W40K ... notices he's not wearing the blue uniform at the moment ... disregard that. It's _Portal_]_

**Arhra:** "Are you making a poor attempt at humour or did someone hand you the Idiot Ball lately?"

**Lorgar:** "I have no idea ... must be a plot hole" _He grins, reaches into one of the many pouches that adorn his waist (best not to ask the details of their contents. Some things Man Was Not Meant To Know, other things are just plain icky) and throws something at Arhra, who catches it with inhuman reflexes (well ... he's __**not**__ Human, so I guess that makes that little descriptive narrative a little defunct, don't you think?). _"It's in effect. The Well of Eternity has been opened. Kairos helped me through the final stages. What Magnus could do for himself, now affects us all"

**Arhra:** _Opening his hand and staring at the small red die on his palm. The numbers 1-3 adorn five of it's six sides, with the last reserved for a lightning symbol. He grins to himself._ "I'll let the Warp Spider temples know; the time has once again arisen" _He crushes the Sustained Fire die in his hand. _"Second Edition Rules"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_The sea of the dead lies uninterrupted for as far as the eye can see until the horizon rears up and demands that True LoS be obeyed (roughly 11 miles on a perfectly flat plain, IIRC). Several days dead they have already begun the grisly process of decay, and as the carrion birds eat their fill from what edible flesh remains flies begin the happy task of reproducing amongst the corpses (hey, one Human's misfortune is another fly's chance to get some action. Thus the universe ensures the karma balance is maintained). _

_On this happy yet morbid subject, Mortarion does the rounds amongst the corpses, checking those in familiar green armour for their progenoid glands and extracting them messily (hey, he's not an Apothecary!). _

**Ev'rii:** "Can't you get someone else to do this? You are supposed to be **leading** troops into battle, not cleaning up after them"

**Mortarion:** _Checking the levels on his Fabius Bile-approved Progenoid Extraction Device._ "They are my sons. I was there when they entered this world, and I shall be there when they leave it"

**Ev'rii:** _Frowning. _"You were at the birth of all your marines?"

**Mortarion:** _Laughs._ "Don't be silly. I was being metaphorical. We consider the creation of a Space Marine to be the moment when the Human he was 'dies', so to speak, and a new being is born in his place"

**Ev'rii:** "One fuelled by Rule of Cool and fan-generated hyperbole?"

**Mortarion:** "Indeed. Every ten year old who fantasises about being a Space Marine gives us power. Naturally the sheer number of them make us practically invincible, and the latest Codex does reflect that quite well" _Mimics falcon-punching an Avatar._

**Ev'rii:** "Except you're **Chaos** Space Marines"

**Mortarion:** _Stops punching the air. _"Dammit! Why do the loyalists get **all** the shiny new toys?"

**Ev'rii:** "But you have Daemonic Gifts?"

**Mortarion:** "Removed"

**Ev'rii:** "Daemons?"

**Mortarion:** "Removed and given their own Codex which can't be used alongside ours, because I guess having an alliance system would confuse people or something" _Throws his hands in the air with despair._ "And for a book that supposedly promotes renegades and other recently-turned-traitor Chapters **were the hell are our assault cannons, storm shields, thunder hammers, land speeders, etc, etc, etc?!?**"

_Ev'rii shrugs._

**Mortarion:** "Face it. Our own creators are against us. I guess there's nothing to do but sit down and give up"

_Ev'rii strides over to where Mortarion sits upon a heap of rotting corpses and lands a particularly painful rending slap across his face. _

**Ev'rii:** "We do not give up! We **fight**! We **win**! And we **damn well enjoy ourselves while doing it**! That's the Chaos Way, with capital letters and everything. We-"

_Whatever it was that Ev'rii was about to say, we shall never know, as at that moment one of the corpses beside them begins to swell to gargantuan proportions, its rotten flesh seemingly about to burst. Then it does just that, and hundreds of Space Marine in colours of blue, white, black and green tumble out, falling over themselves in their hurry to escape ... where ever it was they came from. Four large figures and a familiar Eldar tumble to the feet of Mortarion and his Daemonic wife. _

**Vulkan:** _Rubbing his head. _"We are **NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!** Agreed?"

**Corax:** _From where he lies in a rather compromising position with Roboute and the Khan. _"Agreed. One hundred and one percent"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** _Picking himself up (and yes, dusting himself down)._ "Then don't die again – it's that simple. To be honest; it could have gone a lot worse. We could have- DAEMON!" _Adopts the anti-Daemon stance taught to all kids who attend Eldar high school. _

**Ev'rii:** "And hi to you too"

**Mortarion:** "Where the **hell** did you guys come from?"

**Corax:** _Standing up beside Eldrad. _"From exactly that. Long story, cut short: we're back. Now lets kick some ass ... there still is ass to kick right? Horus hasn't stolen all the glory from us again, has he?"

**Mortarion:** "Well ..."


	154. Chapter 154

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR**

**"ANYTHING YOU DO; DO IT IN STYLE"**

"_HappyTime proudly presents _The Little Inquisitor_! Teaching your children the benefits of loyalty, absolute obedience, and the signs they need to keep watch for the witch and the heretic, every Saturday morning from 8:00AM!"_

_Insert choice narrative here. I frankly have better things to do ..._

**Mortarion:** "So you've all been **dead**? As in proper dead, not 'pretending to be dead' or 'plot convenience death' where you're kind of dead, but only so far as the suspense calls for it and some random Deus Ex Machina will get you back up on your feet in no time!"

**Vulkan:** "Like ... just then?" _Points to the now deflated corpse from where four entire chapters sprung._

**Mortarion:** "... yes ... just like that. So how was that ass pull for you?"

**Vulkan:** "Wasn't too bad. Suffered worse random and arbitrary plot developments that, looking back, kind of made little sense" _Cocks his head to one side as a thought occurs to him._ "Like the Heresy really ... who **was** on Istvaan III?"

**Corax:** "Don't you mean 'Isstvan'?"

**Vulkan:** "I mean what I say, and don't correct my spelling when I speak. Who's the motherfething Vulkan? Who's the **motherfething Vulkan**?"

**Salamanders Chapter: **"YOU ARE!"

**Vulkan:** _Whose appearance would make a cat who has just finished stuffing its face full of cream look mildly unsatisfied. _"Damn straight"

**Corax:** _Sighing._ "Ignoring Vulkan's ego trips, what's the current state of affairs?"

**Mortarion:** "Well-"

**Ev'rii:** "Oh we are **not** explaining the storyline **again!** Lets just accept that this series never did, and probably never will have anything vaguely resembling a story. Now I don't know about you guys, but all these flies are playing havoc with my hair. If you'll excuse me I'm going back to the drop ship to have a shower ..." _And with that said, she walks off without a further word._

_There is silence for a long while, before eventually Corax says:_

**Corax:** "But she doesn't **have** hair ..."

**Mortarion:** "It's just a code word. She's not really having a shower"

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Then what-"

**Mortarion:** "She's a Keeper of Secrets. A Greater Daemon of Slaanesh. I'll let you use your imagination" _Realises who he's talking to._ "On second thoughts don't bother, I'd rather not have to explain it all to you. Especially in present company and circumstances"

**Corax:** "And surroundings. This isn't exactly the most charming of locales. Couldn't we have chosen a better place to escape that hell, Eldrad?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Oh I'm sorry, I'd thought you'll be happy just getting out of the afterlife. I didn't realise you also wanted a five-star trip with in-flight meals and those little lemon-soaked paper napkins!"

**Vulkan:** "They never have enough of those. Is there a galaxy-wide shortage of them or something?"

**Mortarion:** "Blame Douglas Adams. Now I guess you guys are pretty hungry, considering the last time you ate. We've got an open bar back on the drop ship-" _Realises he now stands alone amongst the corpses. The other having vanished at the speed of light. _"... which is **that way** ... but never mind" _Is almost blown over as hundreds of Space Marines charge past in the opposite direction. Mortarion waits a few moments before adding._ "Actually you got it right the first time; I was just playing with you"

_Vulkan slaps him in the face as he runs past._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Picture the simplicity of the cheery blossom; picture as it gently falls to the ground. Is this not the perfect metaphor of life's beauty? Is this not the analogy of tranquillity? Is this ... nah, it's damn trees dropping their crap all over my garden. Speaking of crap ..._

**Alpharius:** "This tea tastes like it"

_WACK!_

**Pie May:** _Replacing the iron bar from where it mysteriously came (the extra-dimensional pocket space all anime characters seem to possess). _"Respect tea! Then it may respect you!"

**Alpharius:** "But why do I want the tea to respect me? I don't **like** the tea!"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "Al, stop arguing and drink your damn tea" _She sips hers; the picture of tea drinking done right, and smiles smugly with that knowledge._ _She frowns suddenly. _"I can sense the arrival of someone incredibly powerful in the-"

**Alpharius:** "Force? That should be my brother"

**Mephiston:** _Having tried his best to stay out of any conflict between himself and Pie May's iron bar._ "Which one?"

**Magnus: **"Me" _He enters the room and bows respectfully before Pie May. _"Greetings sensei"

**Pie May:** _Points at Magnus._ "See? He know respect! Why not you?"

**Alpharius:** _Mumbling into his tea._ "Because I'm not a suck-up book worm" _Suddenly his cup sprouts tentacles, latches onto his face, and begins doing things to it I'd rather not describe. Needless to say, Alpharius runs around the dojo like a headless chicken, his muffled cries obscured by the chibi Chaos spawn._

**Tzeentch:** _Entering the dojo._ "Thought I'd heard something sarcastic and derogatory towards my beloved Magnus. How's everyone?"

**Mephiston:** "We're doing good thanks. Especially now" _He smiles as Alpharius stumbles past. _"Is it just the two of you?"

**Magnus:** "Falal's outside being violently ill; she gets travel sickness quite badly these days. Khorne's off challenging a plain to a fight, and Nurgle's doing ... Nurgle things. Not sure where El'jonson's gone to now ..."

_Ominous Latin Chanting_

**Magnus:** "No matter, he's about to show up now"

_Lion El'jonson descends from the sky, carrying an ornate teapot. He lands on the wooden floor in dramatic fashion; cloak billowing out behind him and hair flowing freely in a way that makes all fangirls squee. The ominous Latin chanting reaches it's dizzying pinnacle as he straightens, standing every inch the awesome Primarch he is. _

**Lion El'jonson:** "More tea, sensei?"


	155. Chapter 155

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE**

**"WAY IN"**

"_We regret to inform you that, due to the recent economical climate, GW will now charge those using our fine gaming tables by the roll. £0.02 per roll, per D6. £0.10 per D3. £0.50 if for some strange reason you bring those dirty D10's into our stores, and don't even __**think**__ about D20's!!"_

_Everyone always forgets the D12's ... pay a thought for the much-maligned dodecahedron. One day, its time will come and the world will bow down before its twelve sides of glorious might! Until then, let us resume these strange tales told in a D6-driven world ..._

_And a great example has just happened, what with the thrown iron bar causing exactly 3D6 damage to Magnus the Red's face (hit location rolled for on a 2D6 table ... which should be the perfect opportunity to roll a D12, but apparently the average gaming audience is allergic to any physical object with more than six sides ...). _

**Magnus the Red:** _After rolling the dice to see how much pain he should be in. _"OUCH! Was that **really **necessary?"

**Pie May:** "I teach you ancient secrets for long portion of story, then in sixty chapters you forget it all! Was I that much of a secondary character that you forgot my words of wisdom no sooner than they left my mouth? Or was my lack of PRIMARCH-ness cast me as not worthy in your eyes?"

**Magnus the Red:** "What? No, I grew up with many short scholars on Prospero ... I respected them all ... except Master Smith; he kept clipping me around the ear for bending the pages on the books I was reading" _He grins._ "I got my own back eventually ... he's now my favourite Chaos spawn"

**Alpharius:** _Holding down the knife that pins the chibi Chaos spawn to the wooden floor._ "Not this one, by any chance?"

**Magnus the Red:** "No, that's T's favourite vanity pet. I guess she's just happy it no longer occupies a slot in her backpack" _[Author's Note: Apologies for the _World of Warcraft_ reference there. I try not to let such evil seep into _Primarchs_ ... maybe I should mention _WAR_ or something to keep it GW-related ...]_

**Alpharius:** "Where **does **she keep all those items she keeps retrieving when we need them? Like that portable camping equipment she's got set outside, complete with miniature microwave oven and nail saloon?" _Frowns in disbelief as he stares through the open dojo door. _"OK, apparently it comes complete with a manicurist as well ..."

**Magnus the Red:** "Warp-space, apparently"

**Alpharius:** "Surely that's just typical Black Library-speak for 'Yeah, we're kinda making this up as we go along to meet deadline, so we're just going to pull this out of our asses and blame the Warp'?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Probably, and don't call me Shirley"

_Alpharius turns and gives his brother an unamused look. _

**Alpharius:** "Now is not the time for _Airplane! _quotes ..."

**Magnus the Red:** "There's **always** time for _Airplane!_ ..." _Notices the expression on his brother's face, sighs, and returns his attention to the large metal-covered book before him. _"I've been studying this for several days now and I still can't fathom how this is supposed to help us defeat the Plot Hole"

**Alpharius:** _Sighs._ "**Please** don't make me explain my convoluted plan **again** ..."

**Magnus the Red:** "Why can't we just use Merrett's laptop again? We can write the Plot Hole out of existence faster than Ferrus can find furry porn on the Internet"

**Alpharius:** "For the umpteenth time Merrett's laptop writes **official canon background.** Using it will only cause our universe to be filled with more contradictory narrative and continuity errors than it already suffers. We need **fanon**, and lots of it!"

**Magnus the Red:** _Frowns._ "I'm confused"

**Alpharius:** "Just roll with it!"

**Magnus the Red:** "Sure, I can do with the DR"

**Alpharius:** _Confused. _"What?" _[Author's Note:Obscure D&D references FTW!]_

_Before Magnus the Red can clarify the situation, a rather irate Falal enters the room with a familiar cloaked individual in tow._

**Falal:** _Planting her hands on her hips and staring with barely restrained fury at the two Primarchs. _"Does **this **belong to either of you two?"

**Alpharius:** "That's black armour ... isn't he one of Corax's lot?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Could be Horus'; they are rather emo with their colour scheme these days. Have been ever since he lost the Heresy 3-1, despite having more Primarchs in play than the opposition apparently Horus counted for **double** ... I've no idea who wrote the rules for that particular campaign, but whatever they were smoking should be banned from all future campaigns conducted"

**Alpharius:** _Scoffs loudly._ "Not likely. After the 'mild stumble of Medusa V'? You'll be lucky if you have **anything **happening during the summer these days ..." _Notices Falal staring at him. _"I've never seen the guy before; Space Marines pop up all over the place these days. What's it to you anyway?"

**Falal:** _A picture of barely-restrained RAGE. _"He ... **flirted **with me!"

**Magnus the Red:** "And that's bad ... how?"

**Cypher:** "All I said was she has a nice pair of monochromatic breasts ..." _The other stare at him in confusion._ "Well she's got the whole 'one half white, one half black' skin colour going on ... haven't you guys noticed?"

**Magnus the Red:** "We've been waiting for an official narrative description since she showed up some ungodly number of chapters ago"

_Oops ... my bad._

**Falal:** "It's not my fault I have a skin complaint! I don't need random strangers drawing attention to it! Especially in such a ... **blunt** manner!"

**Alpharius:** "As the anthropomorphic personification of the emotion of self-destructive contradictory chaos, isn't your form mutable to your liking anyway?"

**Falal:** _Blinks._ "Oh yeah ..." _She changes form, losing the black/white skin colour (and matching clothes, and hair dye) and appearing like the nerdy Techmarine from ... goodness knows what chapter (I can't be bothered to look it up. That's what die-hard fans are for). _"Wow ... I feel stupid"

**Alpharius:** "So you should be" _Chibi spawn latches onto his face again._ "Wht th fk, hu lut thi tng lse?"

**Tzeentch:** _Walking into the dojo (her nails are gorgeous, by the way). _"What was that? Mind your language Alpharius; children are most likely present somewhere, and children can hear **anything** if said at a loud enough volume ... or featuring chocolate in content"

**Falal:** "What's that about chocolate?"

**Tzeentch:** "Nothing dear" _Walks over to Magnus and begins stroking his back. _"How's the research darling?"

**Magnus the Red:** _Eyes Tzeentch suspiciously._ "Whenever you get familiar like this there's usually something attached; normally you want something in return for more pieces of my soul"

**Falal:** "Doesn't she have enough of it already?"

**Tzeentch:** _Looks up and smiles innocently. _"Of course not; that would mean some left over for **you**"

_Falal and Tzeentch stare at each other with looks that, if not kill, then definitely mutilate and leave the bloody remains of the body to slowly die an agonising death. _

___Ominous Latin Chorus_

**Magnus the Red:** "Thank the gods; saved by the Bishie One ..."

**Lion El'jonson:** _Descending with AWESOME style to land beside our heroes. _"What seems to be the problem gentlemen?"

**Alpharius:** _Having torn the chibi chaos spawn off his face yet again._ "Are you actually going to use the **front door** like **normal people** any time in the immediate future?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Don't be stupid. Front doors are for **Humans**; we're **Primarchs** dear brother. We don't use mere doors, we **make our own doors**"

**Alpharius:** _Points to the open dojo doors. _"There's some doors of the pre-built variety, try **making using of them** next time"

**Lion El'jonson:** "You just don't get it, do you?"

**Alpharius:** "Yes; I use my brains. I understand that's an uncommon tactic these days?"

**Magnus the Red:** "It's at times like this; caught between warring girlfriends and brothers, that I wish I was back home playing D&D with Gary Gygax's soul ..."


	156. Chapter 156

= I = N = T = E = R = M = I = S = S = I = O = N =

_Cut to a rather professional-looking news studio, with excellent lightning and a general 'we tell the news __**seriously**__ (not like those fools over at FOX)' vibe going on. The news anchorwoman turns to face the camera, smiles, and gently assumes the type of straight-back position and attitude you find on the other side of the table in the average job interview (that is, the mannerisms of people who __**have**__ jobs, know __**you don't**__, and find this all rather amusing). It oozes confidence and a sense of smug superiority._

**Tzeentch:** "We apologise at the interruption to your weekly PRIMARCHS schedule, and assure our loyal viewers that your favourite antics of everyone's number-one genetically engineered family will return shortly after this brief bulletin"

_Camera switches angle, and Tzeentch turns to match. A picture forms behind her of a sea of blue-armoured individuals all smiling and waving at the camera._

**Tzeentch:** "After millennia of denial, the loyalist space marine chapters of the Imperium not counting themselves amongst the many successor chapters to the Ultramarines legion finally admitted their long-held 'Smurf envy' and declared their conversion to the ranks of the Sons of Guilliman. Spokesman Vulkan of the former Salamanders chapter was quoted as saying 'finally we can speak freely about who we are. We always wanted to be Ultramarines, and now thanks to the guidance of Matt Ward we can truly embrace who we were meant to be'"

_A melta-bomb flies from out of shot and impacts Tzeentch in the face._

**Vulkan:** _Off-camera. _"I DID NOT SAY THAT!"

**Tzeentch:** _Clutching her face. _"My eyes! The burning! It's ruined my make-up and I took **aeons **to apply it! VULKAN!" _Storms off camera in the direction of the melta-bomb._

**Vulkan:** "DON'T MAKE UP STORIES ABOUT CRAP! THAT NEVER HAPPENED!"

**Tzeentch:** "COME BACK HERE! I WANT TO SHOVE THIS HORROR UP YOUR ASS!"

_The news desk chair spins slowly by itself. The only thing moving in shot._

= I = N = T = E = R = M = I = S = S = I = O = N =

_And now for the feature presentation ..._

= = = P*R*I*M*A*R*C*H*S = = =

**PLOT HOLE SAGA**  
**PART XII - NONDESCRIPT A-HOLES OF THE UNIVERSE**  
**  
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX**

**"YOU WAIT FOR AGES ..."**

_Somewhere deep inside the great vessel that orbits what remains of the once Imperial capital world, the birthplace of mankind, Ancient Terra, a young man strides through well-lit corridors (well, the dark and suitably evil variety tends to lead to accidents and lawsuits, so the smart evil overlord ensures the corridors of his flagship are well-lit these days) with intend and purpose. A small amount of arrogance as well ... in fact replace 'small' with 'huge qualities of Jerkass', for this is Eragon, the current lieutenant for the Queen of Mary Sues, the goddess that was Norma Cenva. _

**Eragon:** _Throwing aside a young girl carrying vast amounts of paperwork. _"Get out of my way! The hero of this story is marching through!" _She hits the wall and slides down slowly, leaving a small red trail. _"Clear a path!" _He screams as he punches an elderly scholar in the face who just happened to be standing the way, lost deep in thought. _"Why are these innocent people in my way?!?" _He cries as he kicks a puppy to one side. _"Finally my destination!"

_Striding through the doors as they open to accommodate his huge ego, Eragon stares at the single occupant of the room with barely restrained superiority. _

**Eragon:** "So you are the so-called 'Emperor of Mankind'? Pah! You are but a wizened old man!"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Turning around from where he had been quietly gazing at the stars through the view ports to gaze at this young upstart with mild annoyance. _"People who don't learn how to treat their elders with respect quickly end up pwned. Just ask my son Horus"

**Eragon:** "Horus? I have heard of this pitiful fool. Rest assured my unrestrained Author Avatar powers will grant me success against this upstart son of yours. Besides ..." _He grins. _"I heard he was grown in a vat. What was the matter? No one willing to carry your children the traditional way?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Says the guy who can't even screw **one** elf; and we all know how much of a huge race of sluts they are"

**Eragon:** _Visibly bristled by that comment._ "Pah! I am not here for social pleasantries anyway; you are to report at once to the Council of Narrative Dissonance!" _He draws himself to an even greater heigh, if that's even possible without dislocating the spine ... _"The Plot Hole himself is to announce the great crusade to spread his hold word of badly implemented tropes across this universe!"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Does it have to be now? _Fringe _is on and I can't get over how that lead blonde chick is the splitting image of Sanguinius ..."

**Eragon:** "No you may **not**! The Plot Hole's wishes are **never **to be denied!"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Does a stylised little bow, dripping with sarcasm._ "Then I am his to command ..."

**Eragon:** "You forgot a capital 'H' in that 'his'-"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!:**"Don't push your luck"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Thousands of chain-bound thralls slave away in silent servitude to the one called Warmaster. A union has been attempted several times for such individuals, but they usually devolve into Tzeentch worship and back-stab each other. Above this throng of activity stands the Warmaster Horus, He Who Is Awesome, Scion of Chaos, Lord of Wangst._

**Horus:** "I resent that last title! There was no angst!"

_Don't make me quote ... __**any**__ part of the _Horus Heresy_ series ... _

**Horus:** "Wimp ... now has everyone got their buddy? Remember we established buddies before we left so no one would get abandoned again ... I've got my buddy here" _Throws a friendly arm around a somewhat tired and irate Hecate, who throws him a disgusted look. _"Has everyone got theirs?"

_A general chorus of affirmative acknowledgements greet Horus from the psychic link established between all ships by the co-operation of daemonic entities and a healthy dose of sacrifices._

_**Commissar Yarrick:**__ "Indeed, foolish scum and Arch-Heretic. Know that I follow you only so that I may have a prime location to laugh at your failures"_

**Horus:** "And has nothing whatsoever to do with you simultaneously losing Ghazghkull's trail and discovering your pension ran out ten decades ago?"

_**Commissar Yarrick:**__ "... they might be connected ... yes"_

_**Captain Al'rahem:**__ "I for one detest the rumour going around that I'm only here to provide the token ethnic minority support! This is the forty-first millennium! Mankind has transcended the childish behaviour of racism and intolerance towards his brother: we have the xenos to hate now!"_

_**Commissar Yarrick:**__ "Well said, that man!"_

_**Captain Chenkov:**__ "At least you do not wake up to find Joseph Stalin on your pyjamas ... I will find the man responsible and 'instruct' him as to his error to connect proud Valhallans to Soviet Russia ... and discover how he managed to change my clothes without waking me ..."_

_**Captain Mogul Kamir:**__ "The time approaches for us to leave this hellish dimension of the Empyrean, and return to Ancient Terra. Have I told you, my fellow brothers, of what is truly good in life?"_

_**Commissar Yarrick:**__ "To crush your enemies, drive them from their homes, and to hear the lamentation of their women?"_

_**Captain Mogul Kamir:**__ "Apparently I have mentioned it ..."_

_**Commissar Yarrick:**__ "No, I was just remembering _Conan the Barbarian_..."_

**Horus:** "Prepare your troops for the final battle! We reclaim Terra in the name of-"

_**Commissar Yarrick:**__ "The EMPEROR!"_

_**Captain Al'rahem: **__"ICE CREAM!"_

_**Captain Chenkov:**__ "VODKA!"_

_**Captain Mogul Kamir:**__ "TOILET PAPER!"_

**Horus:** "... yeah ... whatever. Inform the navigator-daemon to drop the ship out of the Empyrean and have the crew standby to raise the shields – AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD **DON'T **DROP THEM THIS TIME EVEN IF I DID SAY ANYTHING ALONG THE LINES OF 'I CAN TAKE HIM'. LEARN **SARCASM** YOU FOOLS! - and order the chief to rustle me up some egg and bacon sandwiches ..."

**Hecate:** "We don't do bacon. Pigs spontaneously mutated into grox millennia ago"

**Horus:** "... this universe sucks. Maybe I should just let the Plot Hole eat it all"

**Hecate:** "Now that's being defeatist. Where's the Horus I once knew, who completed _Battletoads_ through sheer perseverance? Who went beyond the impossible and kicked reason to the curb?"

**Horus:** "He died and was raised as an undead liche incapable of feeling anything ..."

**Hecate:** "My poor brother" _Learns over to give him a reassuring cuddle._

**Horus:** "Jerking off doesn't have the same effect any more ..."

**Hecate:** _Leaning as far away from Horus as she can._ "OK ... **too** much information"

**Thrall #467: **_Although personally I've given up counting how many nameless thralls we get through on PRIMARCHS. _"My lord? We've arrived at Terra. The fleet will drop out of the Empyrean shortly ..."

**Horus:** _Clenching his fist and trying to look awesome._ "The time has come! MEN – FOLLOW ME!"

_**Abaddon:**__ "You're late ..."_

**Horus:** "Ezzie! You're here already?"

_**Dorn:**__ "Damn straight we are. You took your sweet time. Heard you forgot your army as well"_

**Hecate:** "Head's up, who's that?" _She points outside through the great stained class windows at the space battle beginning above the ancient home world of mankind. Various gribbly vessels drop out of the Warp and descend upon the fleet of the Plot Hole._

_**Sarah Kerrigan:**__ "THREE GAMES? How can you __**justify**__ three games?!? DAMN YOU BLIZZARD!"_

_In her wake, several badly-designed vessels follow suite._

_**Ghazghkull:**__ "AT LAST! Random and arbitrary violence meted out without prejudice or bias!"_

_**Commissar Yarrick:**__ "GHAZGHKULL!"_

_**Ghazghkull:**__ "Yarrick me old chum! How's you?"_

_**Sarah Kerrigan:**__ "What the hell?!? Where you __**following**__ me?!?"_

_**Angron:**__ "Let me explain first dear ... see we just wanted to help Horus beat the crap out of dad and you __**just happened **__to be in front of us heading in the same direction ..."_

_**Sarah Kerrigan:**__ "ANGRON?!? And I composed a __**note**__**expressing my feelings**__! That sort of character depth doesn't come easily to a Blizzard creation!"_

_**Perturabo**__:"QUIET ALL OF YOU! I need to think of tactics ..."_

**Horus:** "Oh dear gods in heaven ... can I kill **all of them**?!?"


	157. Chapter 157

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN**

**"GOOD WRITERS DON'T BLAME THEMSELVES ..."**

"_Not as planned!" - Tzeentch_

_The steam gently floats from the surface of the tea into the dusty air of the dojo (someone needs to do some cleaning, and it sure isn't going to be Pie May). Magnus the Red sits cross-legged on the floor, the great sensei himself opposite, both locked deep in meditation. Their minds probing the darkest corners of the universe, going where no mind has ever gone before, and hoping to come back with answers and some decent curry. A slight pained expression crosses Magnus' face, and for a moment ..._

_The steam gently floats from the surface of the tea into the dusty air of the dojo (someone needs to do some cleaning, and it sure isn't going to be Pie May). Magnus the Red sits cross-legged on the floor, the great sensei himself opposite, both locked deep in meditation. Their minds probing the darkest corners of the universe, going where no mind has ever gone before, and hoping to come back with answers and some decent curry. A slight pained expression crosses Magnus' face, and for a moment ..._

_The steam gently floats from the surface of the tea into the dusty air of the dojo (someone needs to do some cleaning, and it sure isn't going to be Pie May). Magnus the Red sits cross-legged on the floor, the great sensei himself opposite, both locked deep in meditation. Their minds probing the darkest corners of the universe, going where no mind has ever gone before, and hoping to come back with answers and some decent curry. A slight pained expression crosses Magnus' face, and for a moment ..._

**Pie May:** "Enough! So, you have mastered the art of temporal narrative displacement!" _[Author's Note: I think he means making me repeat large paragraphs of descriptive text, but I could be mistaken]_ "You are growing in the ways of the Art taught to you by the Fish of Time!"

**Magnus the Red:** _Takes a deep breath, then opens his eye and smiles._ "I believe I'm ready, master"

**Pie May:** _Nods._ "Indeed you are, but first ..." _Gathers several hard-back books and places them before Magnus._ "I need a Solar Exalted written up for a campaign a friend is doing next week. Write one for me, yes?"

**Magnus the Red:** "The fate of the universe rests on our shoulders, and you want me to write a character for an _Exalted_ game you're in?"

**Pie May:** "Universe can wait. This more important; my **pride** on the line!"

**Alpharius:** _Sitting on the other side of the room, playing with a rubric's cube. _"And we couldn't have the short little git look bad can we?" _He dodges the book as it is hurled at him with enough force to bury itself three inches into the wood he leans against._ "Temper, temper" _Holds up the completed cube._ "Five seconds. I'm slipping"

**Magnus the Red:** _Taking the books in hand with a sigh and retrieving dice, paper, and a pencil from ... somewhere. Geek-space probably. _"So the plan's to find and retrieve a Squat, right?"

**Alpharius:** "Can't be any Squat. Needs to be someone with great power, otherwise his place within the narrative wouldn't be impressive enough to function as a Key Aspect" _Seeing the blank faces of all around him, he sighs and continues: _"We're Player Characters, right? We're important to the plot and we're generally a lot more powerful than all the common people around us. We can do things better, and with a greater rate of success"

**Cypher:** _Cleaning out his bolt pistol. _"It might have escaped your notice, Alpharius, but you're a little ... **Primarch** ... than everyone else"

**Alpharius:** "**Precisely!** What are the exact weaknesses, strengths, abilities, etcetera of a Primarch?"

**Cypher:** _Shrugs._ "I dunno; extreme **brokeness**?"

**Alpharius:** "No one knows! Do you know why? Because it's supposed to be **vague**; we're beings made from pure Rule of Cool. I spent a solid century running around a planet repeatedly and I never got tired once. Why? Because I'm a Primarch. I held my breath at the bottom of a ocean trench under pressure that would crush a Land Raider into the size of a lasgun power pack for **another century**. How? Because I'm a Primarch. I bench-pressed a mountain range! How is this possible? Because I'm a Primarch. **What** is a Primarch?" _Throws his hands in the air._ "No idea. Genetically engineered apparently; grown in a test tube by scientists working for our dear father, who, I might add, is a walking, talking Deus Ex Machina. What exactly **he **can do is as vague as what we're capable of, but they're both apparently incredibly **awesome**"

**Cypher:** "This rant is all very interesting (and not really amusing), but **where** is it going? I only want to know how much longer I'll be forced by the narrative to listen to your dull voice"

**Taldeer:** _Braiding her hair. _"What he's saying is that while you and I are more clearly defined, with regards to what we can and cannot do, **he** on the other hand is limitless. Primarchs are given free right by the Word of the Gods themselves to do whatever they want because they're ... well ... **Primarchs**"

**Tzeentch:** "I didn't give him free right to do **anything**. I can't exactly be the ultimate puppet master if everyone enjoys free will ..."

**Taldeer:** "I'm not talking about you. I'm referring to the designers of this world. Those who write the lore of this universe"

**Tzeentch:** "What? **Them?** They can never seem to decide with what my Mark blesses those who bear it. I've seen saves **against** psychic powers, then **psychic powers**, then Invulnerable Saves. Who knows what's next? Chibi spawn pets? Extra eyes that improve Ballistic Skill, the better to fire those AP3 bolters?" _Shrugs. _"That **was** one of the questions I asked Kairos to retrieve for me from the Well of Eternity, but he apparently got lost and ended up in Azeroth at **their** Well of Eternity. Five minutes of 'Barrens Chat' later, and he's as crazy as Jack Nicholson in _The Shining_"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Horrified._ "The poor thing! Such a fate should not befall **any** creature; hellish demon from the otherworld included ..."

**Cypher:** "Ignoring him; so Alpharius, you're essentially saying that, as a 'main character' and a Primarch to boot you can do whatever the hell you want because you're both the topic of the story **and** are badly described enough to do anything without it seem beyond the limitations of your character?"

**Alpharius:** "Yeah, that's it"

**Cypher: **"So what does that have to do with Squats?"

**Alpharius:** "We need a powerful Squat. A 'main character' Squat. One who bends the laws of narrative around him and writes his own stories ... like us"

**Cypher:** _Raises an eyebrow in disbelief. _"You **write** your own story?"

**Alpharius:** "We all do, even if we are not initially aware of it. I wanted another one of me to further my schemes; I end up with a twin brother. Fulgrim wanted a better personality; he ended up as a badass daemon who possesses his body. Dad wanted a fast method of downloading porn; he gets his own personal Webway router. Cause and effect, you see. You know the saying 'be careful what you wish for'?"

**Tzeentch:** "My personal favourite. Many an amusing moment was caused by some poor sap asking me for what they **thought** they wanted. Perhaps 'unlimited wealth' isn't so good when you're buried under an infinite tonne of thrones" _[Author's Note: 'thrones' are apparently the most common form of currency in the Imperium, although by its very nature this is subverted commonly by many planets who of course have their own. Typically 40K]_

**Alpharius:** "Amusing"

**Cypher:** "Are you saying you found a way to re-write the very story we're a part of?"

**Alpharius:** "Indeed. Do you recall that the early chapters after the 'summer campaign' arc ended seemed to be setting up a new story involving that silly little group that calls themselves the Illuminati?"

**Taldeer:** "Yes! I remember Ezekyle saying he had a plan to deal with you Primarchs" _Claps her hands over her mouth when she realises what she's said. _"Oh well, it doesn't matter now anyway. We've got a galactic threat to settle ..."

**Lion El'jonson:** "Wait a moment ... Alpharius ... did you **organise **this?"

**Alpharius:** _Grins evilly._ "You catch on quick brother. You see, while altering minor aspects of your existence is all fun and games, **true** power involves mastering both the positive and the negative. Ying and yang. To master the power of **constructing** stories, you need to master both the power of de constructing them too"

**Lion El'jonson:** "In other words call the Plot Hole into this universe by screwing around with the established storyline in such a manner that you cause horrendous plot holes which you **know** an entity like the Plot Hole **thrives** upon, then cook up a scheme to **overpower** the Plot Hole and **take control **of it all for the simple purpose of ... what? What do you aim to get out of all this?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Thousands of worlds dead, countless trillions slain, all for what?"

**Alpharius:** _Holds up a copy of _Mechanicum_. _"Apparently dad can bitch-slap C'tan now. I've seen the future ... **it gets worse**"

_A moment of silence ... then:_

**Lion El'jonson:** "We need to stop this immediately"

**Magnus the Red:** "Indeed. All in favour of gaining ultimate power over our own fictional universe and writing some **decent** stuff?"

_The agreement present in the room is unanimous._

**Tzeentch:** _Raises her eyebrows and smiles at Alpharius. _"Just as planned?"

**Alpharius:** _Relaxes with his hands behind his head. _"Just ... As ... Planned"

**Magnus the Red:** _Watching both of them, turns to Tzeentch and sighs._ "Yes, you may sleep with my brother this once ..."

**Cypher:** "Ah-"

**Magnus the Red:** "And **you**; get the hell away from Falal! I've seen the way she looks at your phase knife!"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Please tell me that's not an euphemism ..."


	158. Chapter 158

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT**

**"TO GAR, OR NOT TO GAR"**

_And so it comes to this; what is inevitable, the course all souls plough through the sea of destiny en-route to their destination (hopefully at reduced shipping charges), the end result of all that is, and all that will be. What is to come, will come again, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades into myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again, and the Wheel of Time tur-_

_No, wait. Dammit. Wrong universe. _

**Horus:** _Leaning forwards and clutching the rails of the overlook above the crowded and noisy bridge of the _Ultimate Badass_, the capital ship of Horus' armada. _"FATHER!"

_Ah yes, right universe._

**Hecate:** _Laying a restraining hand on her brother's shoulders. _"Careful; those railings aren't cheap to replace. We're already running up huge bills with this crusade; lets not add refurbishment costs to it as well"

**Horus:** "But I-" _SNAP!_ _He holds the pieces of the railings in his hands. _"Oh, sorry sis- YARGH!" _He cries as Hecate spin-kicks him through the gap over the edge onto the bustling thralls below (poor thralls, always dying). _

_As Horus picks himself up from the crushed corpses ... cricket chirps_

**Horus:** _Staring at the cricket. _"Not you again ..."

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_From his mighty image displayed via hololithic technologies (purchase your AdMech-approved generator today!) just in front of the great stained glass window that looks out onto the upper hull of the mighty vessel (and all that separates the crew of the bridge from hard vacuum). _"YOU SEEK TO CHALLENGE ME AGAIN SON?" _He grins. _"You know what happened last time, don't you?"

**Horus:** _Dusting off his ... no sorry, old habit. Wiping the blood of thralls off his clothes. _"Remind me; I get confused with all these alternative continuities ..."

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I WON YOU FOOL! I BEAT YOU TO WITHIN AN INCH OF YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL!" _He grins again, flashing those perfect teeth for all to see. The female thralls start forming puddles at their feet, and even the male thralls feel weak at the knees. Even the guys want THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND! _"Damn straight they do!"

**Horus:** "What?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Quiet! I was talking to the narrator"

**Horus:** "Again? Could you do less of that and more talking to me? You know, this is you problem dad. You never listened to us; you were never there when we needed you. When we were out slaughtering countless billions in your name you were down in your basement trying to hack into the Eldar webway for what? More porn? The blood of the galaxy is on our hands in your name and you couldn't be arsed to send us an occasional 'thanks'?!?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I had better things to do. A man has ... needs ... someday you'll understand Horus"

**Hecate:** "Oooh ... burned"

**Horus:** _Looks up at her. _"Quiet you!" _Confronts his father once more. _"No more! No more will I destroy in your empty name! No more will I offer the lives of entire worlds upon your altar of empty promises (wow, that was kinda cool. Some times I amaze even myself ...)! NO MORE!"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Enough talk! You think you can challenge me?"

**Horus:** "I **know** I can ... er ... this time at any rate ..."

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Your words are hollow unless you prove it!"

_The channel goes static for a second, then the charming image of Kerrigan's mutated (yet disturbingly sexy) face appears alongside that of THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND! It makes for a strange comparison. _

**Kerrigan:** "Look, I hate to interrupt on this wonderful display of father-son bonding, but I'd just thought I might let you know, Horus, a couple of vessels have just dropped out of whatever it is you people use for FTL travel ... the Warp ... right? They look like some of yours"

**Horus:** "Who the hell ... ?"

_The screen again goes static for a second, only to reveal that Kerrigan's and THE EMPEROR's faces have been punched up and made smaller to accommodate the faces of Roboute Guilliman and Mortarion. _

**Roboute Guilliman:** "HORUS! You think we'd let you have all the fun?"

**Horus:** "I kinda hoped you would ... yeah ..."

**Mortarion:** "Well ... tough. It'll be just like old times ... except we've got the Big Blue Boy Scout with us and his merry loyalist chums as well ... and Konrad's done a runner ... and Fulgrim too ... and Magnus isn't here (probably screwing his godlike girlfriends ... bastard) ... and who knows where Alpharius/Omegon/Whatever is?"

_The screen again flickers, and Vulkan joins the assembled party on-screen._

**Vulkan:** "I'd like to add, for the benefit of us loyalists (and those keep up with the plot) that Sanguinius and El'jonson aren't here either"

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Has **anyone** seen Sanguinius since the start of this arc?"

**Vulkan:** "Probably saving himself for some Big Damn Hero moment later, just so he can boast about how dad originally wanted to make **him **Warmaster until he accidentally let slip his secret lingerie collection ..."

**Horus:** "Oh ... so **that's** why ..."

**Roboute Guilliman:** "We don't need him anyway! We have more than enough fire power to obliterate anything the Plot Hole throws at us!"

**Hecate:** "I think you're vastly over-stating your abilities again ..."

**Roboute Guilliman:** "My Chapter Master can falcon-punch Avatars into oblivion! If the incarnation of a **god **cannot stop my sons, then who can?"

**Hecate:** "Considering the term 'god' is rather loosely applied these days ..."

**Vulkan:** "Rob, we're going to do this the smart way. Using smart tactics and smart-"

_The screen once again flickers, and this time a rather green pair of faces join the team._

**Thrall:** "Agreed, tactics is what we-"

**Ghazghkull:** "ORKS DON'T USE TACTICS! WE FIGHT AND WIN!"

**Thrall:** _Sighing. _"Ghazghkull, we've been over this already ..."

**Kerrigan:** "Is anyone else finding this 'talking heads' style briefing oddly familiar?"

**Vulkan:** "Look guys ..."

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Are you all just going to hang there in space, or are you actually going to come here and kick my ass?"

**Horus:** _Takes a deep breath ..._ "QUIET! LET **ME **DO THE TALKING HERE!" _Once he is satisfied everyone is indulging themselves in a little stunned silence ... _"We **will** defeat you, father, and this Plot Hole you serve! We will defeat all narrative discontinuity for the glory of well-written fiction everywhere" _He sees their faces, and continues. _"Now I know you may doubt if this is possible, but believe. Don't believe in yourselves, but believe in me – who believes in **you!**" _Thrusts his hand straight up._ "FOR OURS IS THE COLLECTIVE EGO THAT WILL PIERCE THE HEAVENS!!!" _He clenches his fist. _"FOR CHAOS!"

**The Loyalists:** "FOR THE IMPERIAL TRUTH!"

**The Traitors:** "FOR THE GLORY OF THE GODS!"

**The Ork/cs:** "FOR HONOUR, DEATH, AND A BLOODY GOOD WAAAGH!"

**Kerrigan:** "FOR ... er ... I don't know really ... dammit Metzen I really hope_ Starcraft II_ gives me decent characterisation!"

**ALL:** "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE?!?"


	159. Chapter 159

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE**

**"DARTH VADER NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS CRAP"**

"_In the beginning, there was nothing ... then Tzeentch rolled a natural 20 and behold! There was much life and change! Then Tzeentch rolled a 1, and Nurgle did appear! In frustration, Khorne was born, who promptly added more dice to the pool for his damage rolls. Finally, Slaanesh did appear, for someone has to serve as the end-game boss"_

**Slaanesh:** "Wait ... end-game **what?!?**"

_About twenty-five tooled-up adventurers arrive, all wearing hungry grins on their faces._

**Adventurer:** "Oh hai! Iz tis wre w gt teh c00l l0otz?"

**Slaanesh:** "Wait ... is that even **English**? When was the last time you washed? Is that **pizza** down your front? Oh that's **revolting** ... you don't even have a **neck**! Have you got **laid**? **Ever**? Your skin's so pale, do you even know what the sun **is**?"

**Adventurer:** "... TANK 'N SPANK!"

**Slaanesh:** "That sounds kinky ... **wait**! **Put down those things! Not there!! ...** actually ... THERE! PUT IT THERE! OH YES!!"

_We move our attention away from this den of sordid activities to focus on a different den, full of individuals short of stature and somewhat oblivious to the cruel narrative fate ahead of them ..._

**Ornate Squat:** _Lying several data-slates on the table before those assembled. _"This will not do! How am I supposed to look those Adeptus Mechanicus gits in the eye? These are so-called 'engineers' who can't even add fluffy dice to their transports without five hours of strenuous prayers to their machine god, self-flagellation, fasting and giving obscene amounts of money to charity. Yet here we are unable to perfect a simple doomsday device of galaxy-destroying power!"

_The other squats sitting around a square-shaped table (all dwarf-derivative races despise curves in their architecture. They claim furniture without any risk of brutally injuring yourself upon is girly and belongs to those pansy elves) try their best to look embarrassed. Or at least as embarrassed as dwarves can get while still maintaining their default facial expressions of arrogant disdain at life, the universe, everything, and __**especially**__ the number 42._

**Tech-orientated Squat:** _Trying to look apologetic. Or at least as apologetic as a dwarf ... well, you know what I mean. _"My lord, you don't understand. A super weapon **needs** to have a barely-protected ventilation duct leading directly to the fragile, barely-stable super-plasma fusion reactor! It's ... just the **done thing**!"

**Ornate Squat:** "Isn't that a little ... vulnerable?"

**Tech-orientated Squat:** "But that's ... the **point**. We **need **a weak point!"

**Ornate Squat:** _Exasperated. _"But **why?** If it's completely possible to design a weapon with no vulnerabilities, faults, or weak spots that those pointy-eared pansies and greenskins can use to their advantage why aren't we building it?"

**Tech-orientated Squat:** "You just don't **get it** do you?"

**Ancient Squat:** _Grumbles under his breath. _"Young people these days. Not like back in my day, when you had honour and obeyed the tropes. None of this 'thinking outside the established formula' we have these days ..."

**Tech-orientated Squat:** _Bows towards the Ancestor Lord. _"Thank you ancient one" _Shoots the lord a dour look. _"**All **super weapons must have vulnerable spots"

**Ornate Squat:** "And a self-destruct button?"

**Tech-orientated Squat:** "But of course, my lord"

**Ornate Squat:** "But ... **why?** If we **must **blow up a multi-trillion squat-dollar project **must** it be as accessible as a large red button saying 'DO NOT PUSH'?"

**Tech-orientated Squat: **"Yes my lord, it's the **done thing**. It's just the way we do things"

**Ornate Squat:** "We're as bad as the AdMech, I hope you realise this" _Picks up another sheet of paper. _"So what's this plan to lure the greenskins to the construction site **before** the weapon is complete?"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "It's what's known as a 'trap', my lord. The greenskins will arrive eager to destroy our new weapon before we have a chance to complete it and use it against them"

**Ornate Squat:** "I'm having difficulties seeing how this is effective for us"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "You see, my lord (and this is the **really smart** part of the plan), the weapon **will** be working, but we will have released false information leading them to think otherwise. They will arrive expecting an easy battle, only for us to unveil our deadly weapon and destroy them!"

**Ornate Squat:** "So the weapon will be **finished?**"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "No sir, just the gun. The rest is still behind schedule. We definitely won't have the 'almost nigh-invulnerable except for a single exhaust port' cover over the almost unstable fusion reactor done for several months"

**Ornate Squat:** "So the weapon **won't** be finished?"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "No sir, the gun will work"

**Ornate Squat:** "But they could **blow it up**?"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "That won't happen, my lord"

**Ornate Squat:** "But what if it did?"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "That won't happen ... my lord"

**Ornate Squat:** "Say, as a hypothetical possibility, that they actually manage to ... say ... fly a ship into the super-structure and detonate the core from inside the weapon despite our attempts to destroy them all ...?"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "Now that's just silly, my lord"

**Ornate Squat:** "What if-"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "My lord, we have not taken into consideration that the greenskins will destroy our Giant Sphere of Hurt because there is no possible way that they can"

**Ornate Squat:** "But-"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "No possibility"

**Ornate Squat:** _Opens his mouth._

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "**No** possibility"

**Ornate Squat:** _Sighs._ "Very well ... now, about these 'Tyranids' we're hearing about ..."

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "We'll lure them into the trap as well"

**Ornate Squat:** "The trap that can't possibly fail?"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "Indeed. Glad you're paying attention ... my **lord**"

**Ornate Squat:** _Sighing. _"OK, last topic of the day. We need to seriously discuss the fluff-" _The sound of a kitten being ruthlessly slaughtered somewhere in the Warp echoes through the chamber._

**Ancient Squat:** _Drops a coin in a small wooden container beside him labelled 'Fluff Box'. _"We say a prayer for the loss of innocence caused by disrespect for established lore. Remember the lore, and treasure it as you would a small child. Shelter it from those who seek it harm in the name of consumerism and high entertainment. Protect it from change, for change is the destroyer of consistency and the creator of plot holes, and above all keep the terminology to mind. For failure to do so incurs the wrath of the lore fanatic, and his rage is pure of nerd"

**Ornate Squat:** _Looking at the Ancestor Lord with a rather concerned expression on his face. _"Sorry ... I meant 'lore' ... so ... with the current direction of the-" _Shoots the Ancestor Lord another worried glance. _"-**lore** heading as it is away from 'light hearted yet black humour' to 'GRIM'N'DARK' it does raise the question of how we, an alcoholic race of bikers who vaguely resemble dwarfs from our sister franchise of _Warhammer Fantasy Battles_, can fit in this new direction. Suggestions anyone?"

**Battle-hardened Squat:** "Screw 'em all!"

_A general roar of approval meets the head squat, who sighs and shuffles all his paper together. _

**Ornate Squat:** "Very well. With that said, I declare meeting adjourned until same time tomorrow. Drink well lads ..."

_Leaving the others to roar their approval and the beer to begin flowing from kegs that rise from under the floor (all good Squat meeting rooms have such devices), the ornate Squat heads into the corridors of the stronghold. Caught up in his own despair at the sorry state of his species, he doesn't remember the journey to his room, but he definitely remembers entering it to find a strange collection of individuals making themselves at home._

**Alpharius:** _Looking at a clipboard in his hands. _"Er ... Josef Bugman III?"

**Josef Bugman III: **"Er ... yes? Who the **hell** are you people? What are you doing in my room ... wait ... isn't that **power armour**? Aren't you Space Marines?"

**Magnus the Red:** "He has the same name as that brewer dude from the _Warhammer _'verse"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Any relation you think?"

**Tzeentch: **"Who cares?

**Falal:** "Aww ... he so **cute!!**"

**Slaanesh:** "Can we take him into the bedroom and do naughty things to him? I always wondered if what they said about dwarfs was true ..."

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "A) Squick, B) **Double **squick, and C) No"

**Slaanesh:** _Sulking._ "Who put **you** in charge?"

**Mephiston:** "She's not, **you're** just at the bottom of a very complex hierarchy of 'who is who's bitch'"

**Taldeer:** "Getting back on topic: so this is the guy Alpharius?"

**Alpharius:** _Looking up from the clipboard, grinning. _"Hell yeah. Lets work fast folks: we don't have much time"

**Magnus the Red:** "We have a lot of time, Al, since we travelled back through it, because last I checked the Plot Hole isn't to arrive for the next four hundred years ..."

_Silence._

**Alpharius:** "Good point. You're a dwarf Josef; where's the nearest pub?"


	160. Chapter 160

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY**

**"SET PHASERS TO GRIM'N'DARK"**

"_Space ... the final frontier ... these are the voyages of the starship _Enterprise; _her continuing mission to seek our new life, and new civilisations ... to boldly go where no man ..."_

_He notices out of the corner of his eye the look that annoying so-called 'councillor', who somehow managed to secure a seat on the bridge years ago and hasn't relinquished it since, is throwing him. He asks himself how the hell she knows he's internally monologuing again, then remembers she's empathic ... then asks if 'monologuing' is an emotion ..._

**Captain Jean-Luc Picard: **"To boldly go where **no one** (in order to be politically correct and damn them all for it!) has gone before!" _He stands and looks awesome, and the crew around the bridge applaud in awe._

**Deanna Troi: **"They love you captain! I can feel the gushy, super-sugar-coated emotions emanating from all around me!"

**First Officer William Riker:** "That's probably me, I want to get in your pants"

**Deanna Troi:** "Which puts a disturbing slant on what I just said above"

**Captain Jean-Luc Picard:** "I can feel the love too, Councillor Troi! Surely this is the Federation's most prized vessel, and we are so lucky to have each other! Let us spread the word of peace, friendship and the good-will to all men to these fellow humans of the ... Imperium?"

_There is a blinding flash, and suddenly several giant warriors clad in black tactical dreadnought armour stand amongst the crew. Their leader is helmet less, purely so the audience can see who it is and develop some sort of emotional bond to ... oh crap I'm beginning to talk like Troi ..._

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "Yeah, fat chance of **that **happening baldy!"

**Captain Jean-Luc Picard:** _Stares in horror. _"Make it **not** so!"

_Que violence. Lots of violence. And plenty of blood. Somewhere, wherever he is, Khorne is __**very**__ happy. In the aftermath Abaddon and his warriors stand in the engineering room, having slaughtered their way through hundreds of men, women, and annoying kids for the past fifteen minutes._

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "Curiously, I thought you couldn't teleport through shields?"

**Black Legion Chosen:** _Shrugs, or at least attempts to shrug. A little difficult in Terminator armour. _"Plot hole, I guess. Lets just set these charges and 'plot hole' ourselves off this ship"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "Agreed. I wonder how Logan's doing with his team?"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Indeed, let us draw our attention away from the doomed _Enterprise_ towards another vessel of similar design, but a little smaller, and not quite as interesting._

**Logan Grimnar:** _Dropping Kathryn Janeway's corpse to the floor. _"Normally I'd oppose random, meaningless and arbitrary violence against those only seeking happiness and peace for all ... but **happiness and peace for all?!?** That's just heresy"

**Ragnar Blackmane:** _Tearing apart Tom Paris. _"Completely. These abominations **must** be purged from existence, and who better to do this grisly job than the sons of Russ ... right ... Russ?"

**Leman Russ:** _Leaning against a bulkhead with an attractive blonde cyborg(ish) woman talking enthusiastically about ... everything ... _"Er ... sorry? Can't you guys see I'm a little busy here?" _Turns back to flash Seven of Nine one of his trademark smiles (which rumour suggests doubled Fenris' population over one year). _"Sorry, my dear. You were saying?"

**Ragnar Blackmane:** "Far be it for me to point out-"

**Leman Russ:** "What?" _Looks exasperated. _"Do you **really** need me to hold your hands down to the engineering room? Can't you find the damn place by yourselves?"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Sighing._ "I guess not. Let us go forth wolves of Fenris! Bring swift oblivion to the sons of Roddenberry!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Hecate looks through the various orders scrolling upwards on the holographic screen at a rate far too fast for the average Human eye to keep up. Lucky she's a Primarch, I guess ..._

**Hecate:** "Reports coming back from Ezekyle and Logan: they've successfully managed to destroy the lead ships of the enemy's first wave attack"

**Horus:** _Sits back in his stupidly large command chair (with in-built beverage cooler and widescreen TV with 24 hour sports coverage). _"Excellent. That should disrupt their command chains and keep them occupied for a while. In the meantime order strawberry vanguard to move forwards and engage the enemy"

**Thrall #678:** "My lord! Second wave of enemy vessels incoming on vector 367!"

**Horus:** _Raises an eyebrow._

**Hecate:** "From the left"

**Horus:** "Ah! I knew that. Have blackberry vanguard move to engage them, and order lemon to move twenty-two thousand miles **up**"

_A collective gasp arises from everyone._

**Hecate:** "Up? But Horus! You don't mean to ... ?!?"

**Horus:** _Standing up and clenching one fist in a dramatic manner. _"Yes! I intend to utilise the **third dimension** as a strategic asset!"

**Hecate:** "But Horus! There's a reason why 99% of all science fiction writer's casually 'forget' that space is three-dimensional! The average human mind cannot keep track of more than two dimensions (or two sides, for that matter ... why do you think chess is so popular!)"

**Horus:** "But I'm not an **average** human mind! I am ..."

**Hecate:** "A Primarch?"

**Horus:** "ME!"

**Hecate:** "Figures ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Aboard the super-super-awesome-hyper-special Star Destroyer _Eclipse_, the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! and his son Konrad Curze (also known as Night Haunter, when he dresses up in black spandex and defeats villains in the name of justice) view the veritable space opera of destruction with confused expressions._

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I can't see anything! Is there supposed to be ships out there? Where's the flashing laser effects? Why can't I hear any massive explosions?"

**Konrad Curze:** "Probably because a) they're fighting at standard distances for space battles, that being **several thousand miles apart**, and b) in case you missed the very basic science lesson we teach all kids **sound doesn't travel through vacuum**"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"But it's not a vacuum! It's space! Vacuum's what you use to clean carpets with!"

**Konrad Curze:** "That's a vacuum **cleaner**! Or a 'hoover' ... I suppose"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Now you're just making things up"

**Konrad Curze:** _Sigh._ "If you say so. I hope they know what they're doing ..."

**Eragon:** "What's this? Feeling sorry for the enemy are we? That's heretical, and as a shining example of what you've **never** be, that's quite a possibility. You can't help not being as perfect as I am. Does it bother you? Does it? Oh? Does it?"

**Konrad Curze:** "Oh will you shut up" _Pulls out a pair of lightning claws and garrottes Eragon. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"You tell me sound doesn't travel through space, then you **strangle **someone to death with **lightning claws**?"

**Konrad Curze:** "Come on. That piece of absurdity's been around for ages. How do you think Horus apparently 'killed' Sanguinius? Not that it hasn't stopped him coming back to life ..."

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Oh good point. In which case lets apply that logic to-" _Massive explosions can now be heard, and suddenly everyone's fighting each other from five feet away (comparatively speaking, of course). _"That's much better! This is a **real** space battle!"

**Konrad Curze:** "In which case, I guess this means reality is **unrealistic** ..."


	161. Chapter 161

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE**

**"ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWERS"**

"_Sturgeon's Law states, quite simple, that 90% of any entertainment medium (or, in fact, 90% of __**anything**__) is complete and utter crud. When you consider the concept of cross-over fiction, where two previously independent fictional universes collide, then the number of truly crap fiction escalates exponentially. Combing that small 10% of decent fiction with another of its kind is 90% likely to produce something you'd rather gargle battery acid than read. Combing that 90% with another 90% example, or (heaven forbid, more) also has a 90% chance of producing more undesirable fiction. In essence, sticking fictional works together like Lego bricks only has a 10% chance of re-creating the Taj Mahal. Otherwise you're just fuelling the vast amount of utter nonsense that already exists ..._

_Like this series, for example" _  
_- Lorgar, Primarch of the Word Bearers Legion_

_That rather derogatory (yet quite true, no one's claiming this is the second coming of Shakespeare) comment above taken aside, let us cast our narrative eye upon the Throne Room deep within the holy grounds of the Imperial Palace upon Ancient Terra. Might birthplace of mankind, centre of the Imperium, yadda yadda ... I'm sure you've read the meagre amounts of background fiction in the BGB/BRB/whatever we're calling the 5th edition rulebook. Despite being one of the most important rooms in the entire 41st millennium (being the current abode of the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! for little over ten thousand years) official descriptions (outside the _Inquisition War_ trilogy, and I realise many people have allergic reactions to that fine piece of fiction) are rare, so I hope you'll excuse me while I make stuff up and pass it off as 'fact'. _

_Anyway, the steps leading up the the Golden Throne itself are lined by the thousands of 'sockets' designed to accommodate those poor unfortunate psykers who failed the Scholastica Psykana entrance examinations and subsequently doomed to fuel the ancient technologies of the Golden Throne. Why such an advance piece of machinery needed 'souls' to power it has never been addressed by modern Adeptus Mechanicus scholars, despite less human resource devouring alternatives available to current Imperial science, like geothermal, solar, nuclear, plasma, giant hamsters in treadmills, etc. When questioned, Tech-priests monitoring the Golden Throne are reported to reply with a simple:_

**Tech-priest:** "Rule of Cool, buddy. It doesn't make any more sense than why they stick giant close combat weapons on Titans, indeed why so much is given over to close combat technologies like power and force weapons when long-range weaponry is capable of wiping entire continents off the face of a planet, or why Space Marines get Land Speeders and Guard don't despite anti-grav technology being common enough to give Inquisitor Eisenhorn a lift when he fancies it. It doesn't make any sense, so best not to question it else you want a brain haemorrhage"

_He who questions this is quickly driven mad by the contradictory laws of the universe itself (written by various different people over the course of several years mostly in a windowless basement somewhere). Regardless, the Golden Throne eats psykers ... or at least __**used**__ to. When the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! made his miraculous (and completely unexplained) recovery last year, psykers were re-directed to more 'useful' ventures, like garbage collection and street lamp repair. The great chamber of the Golden Throne now lies mostly empty, save for the occasional Blanche-style floating skull with incense burner. _

_Except for the guards the Plot Hole instructed to guard such an important Key Aspect of Narrative (being a completely unexplained Plot Device for not only the Status Quo of the Imperium, but for the reason why the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! was absent enough to allow half his sons to go angsty and rebellious in the first place. The destabilisation of which was apparently the reason why Propsero (and unmentioned millions of inhabitants) got nuked by the Space Puppies). _

**Tasslehoff Burrfoot:** _Throwing a small paper pamphlet entitled 'The Golden Throne And You: What It Means To Sacrifice Your Life For The Glory Of The Emperor' at the empty psyker sockets. _"I'm **bored**!"

**Flint Fireforge:** _Looks up from where he slowly grinds his axe into the stone steps with horror_. "By my beard! Someone give the wee lad a PSP!" _[Author's Note:He's a dwarf, for those who haven't read the books. Which is a poor excuse for the beard references and lame attempt at a Scottish style of speech]_

**Tanis Half-Elven:** _[Or Tanthalas Kanan, if we're going to give him a less racist name] _"We're characters from a psuedo-medieval fantasy world Flint. We don't have PSPs. He'll have to make do with rolling dice ..."

**Tasslehoff Burrfoot:** "That's boring!"

**Sturm Brightblade:** _Laughs as he sits sharpening his sword with a wetstone. _"Relax. I'm sure fate will hand you entertainment soon enough"

**Caramon Majere:** "Enough for all of us I hope?"

**Goldmoon:** "Perhaps I can soothe your restlessness away with a song, Tass?"

**Riverwind:** "Please, my lady"

**Raistlin Majere:** "Dear gods no ... someone save me from this band of fools a duo of fantasy authors insisted on attaching to me!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Did I hear a cry for help? NEVER FEAR! VECT IS HERE!"

_Like a blur of blades, spikes, and a badass attitude Vect falls from the darkness of the ceiling to land perfectly before the Companions. Standing straight he flourishes an elegant bow before the startled group as they draw weapons and prepare magical mega-death spells. _

**Asdrubael Vect:** "My dear ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Asdrubael Vect, and I shall be the host for tonight's entertainment of which you are all invited to take part in. Allow me to introduce my fellow entertainers" _He points his agoniser at a spotlight that falls upon a heavily armoured individual wielding a variety of powered weaponry. _"Of the Iron Hands – Ferrus Manus! Who will provide the merciless pwnage of epic lulz!" _The agoniser spins around his head to point at a second spotlight. _"Of the Alpha Legion – Alpharius! Or one of them at any rate. Man of mystery and intrigue, he will do things to you both unspeakable and incomprehensible!" _The agoniser spins, and another spotlight falls upon a group of similar spiky and vicious individuals. _"My fellow druchii ... ahem ... I mean 'Dark Eldar'. What they do is certainly not PG-13 and thus we cannot comment upon it in this glorious chapter! Finally we have-" _New spotlight. _"-from the far-off world of Outland/Draenor – Illidan Stormrage! He may not be end-game raid material any more, but don't let that fool you into thinking he's a pushover!" _He opens his arms wide. _"And for icing on this glorious cake of non-stop entertainment we are blessed to have the fine support of the Adeptus Custodes!" _Hundreds of golden-armoured individuals swarm up the stairs. Asdrubael Vect allows a large rictus grin to spread across his face. _"Let the evening's entertainment begin!"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Hecate spins several holograms around until everyone can view them from an angle that almost makes sense. Still doesn't stop Horus from tipping his head to one side and trying to peer at it with squinted eyes. _

**Horus:** "So ... what's happening?"

**Hecate:** _Having finally exhausted any and all sighs of exasperation that she could summon hours ago, replies with a surprisingly straight face._ "The enemy are on the counter-attack. We've located the main ship of the spear-head. Judging from the markings along its hull we believe the vessel to be called a '_Battlestar Galactica_'"

**Thrall #673:** "Incoming communications from that ship now, my Lady Hecate"

**Hecate:** _Turning to regard the giant stained-glass window at the end of the one hundred metre long command bridge of the _Ultimate Badass."Put it on!"

_The image appears over the window of a man so __**badass**__ even Horus raises an eyebrow. The one-eyed man next to him doesn't look a pushover either._

**Admiral William Adama:** "I give you this option out of courtesy; surrender now. Allow your vessels to be boarded by the Coalition of the Plot Hole. Offer no resistance, and you might live to see another day. Know that this vessel carries several primed wormhole torpedoes 'borrowed' from _Farscape_, and if you know me you know I am not bluffing when I say **we will use them if necessary**"

**Hecate:** _Realising her mouth's hanging open, snaps it up quickly and does something with her hair as she struggles to remember what she was saying._ "Er ..."

**Horus:** _Grins at his sister, then turns his attention to Adama and once again becomes the Warmaster we all know and love. _"You're not bluffing Adama. I wouldn't bluff either if I could suck all my enemies into convenient wormholes in the fabric of the space-time continuum. John Crichton was a pansy; I am **not.** Neither, I am led to believe after three and a half seasons, a miniseries and an obscene number of webisodes, are you. So let's settle this like men" _Pulls out a guitar._ "Just to let you know Admiral; the guy next to you is a cylon agent"

**Colonel Saul Tigh:** "How **dare** you suggest I'm a-"

**Horus:** _Strumming on his guitar. _"_There must be some way out of here ... said the joker to the thief_"

**Hecate:** _Shaking her booty._ "_There's too much confusion ... I can't get no relief_"

**Colonel Saul Tigh:** _Clutches his head as the Primarchs sing the Bob Dylan song. _"What? This music! Plot Device activating! Random twist occurring! Logic being thrown out of the window! Shock value priority ..." _Screams, then pulls out his side arm and aims it at Adama. _"I AM A CYLON!!"

_As the sound of gunfire can be heard across the still-open link (someone has obviously forgotten to switch it off), Horus continues to play Bob Dylan's back catalogue._


	162. Chapter 162

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO**

**"IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU ROLL"**

"_An open mind is like a fortress with it's gates unbarred and exposed. Heresy is like siege equipment, and if left unchecked will topple that fortress. The Inquisition? We're in your siege towers, killing your dudes" - Inquisitor Lord Karamazov_

_The sounds of the dying fill the seemingly endless corridors of the great vessel, and as the hundredth slain crewman falls to the blood-stained floor since their arrival Ezekyle Abaddon checks his holographic map. Built by the computer-daemon bound within his suit 'on the fly', so to speak, vast areas of the map are skill blank. Large question marks populate these blank areas._

**Black Legion Chosen:** _His suit of terminator armour stained with the blood of Imperial navy (not __**our**__ Imperial, it should be mentioned, but the George Lucas variety). _"Where are we?"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** _Begins to sigh, then recovers and quickly turns it into a snarl._ "No idea. This warp-nav daemon is useless. I'll get Zaraphiston to order me an upgrade when we get off this damn hulk" _Looks up and down the seemingly endless corridor. Due to budget restraints, they all look identical. _"Which way do you think the generator for the damn super laser is?"

**Black Legion Chosen:** _Blinks behind the terminator helmet. _"You're asking for my **opinion**, my lord?"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** _Resists the urge to face-palm. He had been trying to give up earlier. _"The completion of this mission is far more important than my pride; overblown as it is by successive Black Library authors who seem to believe I stepped off a pantomime, and am not instead a genetically engineered soldiers given the best training millennia of experience by Humanity in the arts of war can offer ..." _He sighs, and allows this one to slip pass. _"Yes, I **am** asking for your opinion. I wouldn't have made you my **Chosen **if I didn't value your opinion in the first place. So ... which way?"

**Black Legion Chosen:** "Well, we know the super laser conductor cylinder ends at the bow of this vessel, and we know from basic science that lasers aren't happy travelling in anything less than straight lines. They could use reflective surfaces to boost power, but they'll most likely be lazy and hook the super laser up to the main power generators. Luckily for them vacuum doesn't offer much in the way of friction, so inertia is on their side. One quick blast from their engines and they can divert everything to the super laser for the rest of the day while they gently drift forwards until they hit a gravity well" _Looks down the corridor. _"So ... best guess is find the engines and we'll find the source of the super laser's power. This way my lord"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "Sure of this direction?"

**Black Legion Chosen:** _Points to a sign on the wall saying 'Engine Room' with a directional arrow. _"I took lessons in English (or Very Low Gothic) during boot camp. You'll be surprised at how many advanced civilisations seem to speak it. That or Japanese"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "Very well, lets-"

_Before he can complete the sentence, a squad of storm troopers (again, of the white George Lucas variety) appear from nowhere and open fire. Their shots bounce (bouncing laser beams?!?) off the tactical dreadnought armour._

**Storm Trooper Sergeant:** "WHY WON'T YOU DIE!" _Throws his rifle at Abaddon, which also bounces off (bad prop perhaps?)._

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "2+ save on 2D6, and you don't have any save mods to that rifle of yours. I roll dice, I save those wounds. Simple as that" _Reaches out and crushes the storm trooper's head with the Talon of Horus (he still hasn't given it back yet). _"And this doesn't give you the chance to save"

_Another body falls to the ground. Enjoy your repetition. It's like reading a Black Library novel ..._

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Standing on the bridge of the _Ultimate Badass_, Hecate observes the unfolding space opera. She frowns, does some quick mental maths (result achieved in 0.02 seconds, 0.01 second faster than Google), and notes something down on a small data-slate she holds in her carefully manicured hands (purple nails; apparently complements the colour of her eyes or something ...). _

**Horus:** "What's up?" _Everyone groans._ "What? What did I say?"

**Hecate:** "Space Marines, **especially** Primarchs, don't say 'what's up?'. Although for your information that damned _Eclipse_-class super star destroyer is still alive. I don't like looking down the barrel of a super laser, **especially** one that's quite capable of destroying this vessel in one shot"

**Horus:** "Don't we have a little thing called **shields?** Aren't they supposed to be the ultimate Plot Armour?"

**Hecate:** "Indeed, they are. The plot, unfortunately, dictates that a hit from a super laser of Death Star-quality is a 'one shot kill' regardless of size, mass, shield capacity, and how neat our paint scheme is"

**Horus:** "And our paint scheme is **awesome**"

**Hecate:** _Rolls her eyes. _"Yes, of course, my brother" _Makes some more notations and then hands the data slate to yet another Thrall (I've long since lose the patience to continue to record which one's which). _"If Ezekyle doesn't take that thing out soon this fleet will be stuck here. We'll loose the mobility we currently have that gives us an edge over the Plot Hole"

_The screen before the stained glass window flickers and Kerrigan's features once again bless this scene. _

**Kerrigan:** "I may have been a product of the same design studio that has given us such a wonderful array of character derailments in _World of Warcraft_, but I like to maintain I'm not stupid, and this is simply a **losing battle.** My sensor zergnids are reporting more reinforcements for the Plot Hole's forces"

**Hecate:** "Where are they coming from?"

**Kerrigan:** "I'm detecting a large circular object in a deep part of space some three million miles from here"

**Hecate:** "That all? Not really very **deep** is it?"

**Kerrigan:** "Whatever. I'm checking it out. Enjoy your duel of fates with the _Eclipse_ and its fleet" _No sooner had those words left her mouth, than John Williams' begins providing the soundtrack. _

**Horus:** "Excellent. Finally we can rid of that damn _Dawn of War_ soundtrack and use something else. It may not be 40K-related, but it's **damn good**"

**Hecate:** "What happened to your guitar? You could have just continued to play the best of the last century of the third millennium"

**Horus:** _Shakes his head._ "Was a one-off joke that meant nothing to the continuity. You'll never see that guitar again ..." _Everyone around him sighs._ "Just joking" _He retrieves the guitar._ "Any requests for the Horus Jukebox?"

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Elsewhere, in a completely different location than the interior of an Imperial star destroyer, the sounds of the dying can also be heard ..._

**Alpharius:** "What are you **doing** to that Kender?"

**Lelith Hesperax:** _Stops and stares at the Primarch with annoyance. _"Do you **actually** want me to describe it for the reader?"

**Alpharius:** "On second thoughts, carry on. Just keep the screaming to a minimum" _There's a wet tearing sound, and something lands before Alpharius' feet. _"Thanks. A tongue. What I always wanted"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Walks up to Alpharius and leans close. _"Apparently things aren't going too well in the Lorgar household. Miss Lorgar over there's been in a foul mood for ages"

**Alpharius:** "Not a happy home?"

_Before Asdrubael could offer his opinions on 'happy homes', the pair hear a polite cough. Turning, they regard an exotic bunch of brown-robed individuals wielding glowing laser swords._

**Mace Windu:** "While I know I'll be causing George Lucas to spin repeatedly in a grave he's not lying within yet, it has to be said: I've had it with these mother****ing Primarchs in this mother****ing series!"

**Yoda:** "Pwned, you will be"

**Anakin Skywalker:** "But not before I get to spill the **entire** troubles of my wangst-filled heart in their direction"

**Alpharius:** "OK ... that last one **actually** terrifies me"


	163. Chapter 163

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE**

**"WHERE IS THIS LINE ANYWAY?"**

"_Sons of Guilliman! The enemy is well entrenched and well-prepared! The enemy is expecting us! In situations like this heresy whispers in our ears to disobey the rigid tome of the Codex Astartes, written by the hand of Guilliman himself, to assault the enemy in a style unique and different to those we have employed previously! Heresy will argue that the enemy will not expect this course of action, and so we will catch them unaware and secure the moral and tactical high ground! IGNORE THE HERESY! DROP POD ASSAULT! AS THE CODEX SAYS, SO SHALL WE DO!" - Chapter Master Marneus Calgar, just before the massacre of Ward's Folly_

"_Stupid Ultramarines ..." - Dark Apostle Judais, just after the massacre of Ward's Folly_

_Standing before the archeotechnological might of the Golden Throne, the creature whispered to small children by angry parents in an effort to get them to fall asleep at night so they could go downstairs and indulge in some heavy sofa sex, as Asdrubael Vect stood and marvelled at the ineptitude of man. _

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Waving his hand as he points to various points of the great machine. _"I mean, if you hook up the transhyperboreal magnifier to the cyclocynical shitometer you'll get a 50% increase on download speed. Hey; give me five minutes with your tech-priest boys and we'll be downloading the entirety of _Friends_ in less time than you need to blink, baby"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Looking up from where he's taking notes on his portal crystal-stacked palm-top_. "Firstly, I doubt you'll want to meet **any** member of the Cult Mechanicus. They're religious fanatics that make the average LAN attendee seem uncaring to the equipment in his rig. Honestly, if you don't have a quad-linked graphics card array lodged in your cranium to boost the bloom for RL they don't talk to you. Secondly; who the **hell** wants to download any of _Friends_? Thirdly; please don't call me 'baby' – it frightens and confuses me. Also you're scaring your back-pack ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Takes a look at the back-pack he had made from a small child several story arcs ago that he currently has holding a large and disturbing collection of sharp objects. _"Why? Is it still alive?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "You've only just **noticed**?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I'm a busy man! I don't have **time** to notice whether or not my hiking accessories are still alive! I'll have someone throw him an IV-drip or something later … now; to the matter at hand. How are we going to **move** this thing? Unless everyone else intends to visit us?"

**Alpharius:** "I doubt my twin will be that considerate, however moving this device shouldn't be that difficult if we put our genetically engineered and alien (which you keep insisting is far superior to the best of Humanity's) minds together"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Leans slightly away from Alpharius. _"I hope you're not being literal. I'm not dirtying my pure thoughts with your filthy morality crap"

**Alpharius:** "Yes, 'cause it would be a shame to feel sympathy for that small child your most talented specimen of a Homunculus is currently … what the **hell** is he doing anyway?!?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "First of all, it's a kender, **not** a child. Secondly, where Urien Rakarth sticks whatever part of his body, whether what's left of his original flesh or something that belonged to someone else before he grafted it onto himself, is none of my business. I'm a respectful employer, and I respect the rights of my employees to their privacy. Ain't that right Urien?"

**Urien Rakarth:** _Currently tickling Tasslehoff until the Kender passes out with oxygen starvation, then recording the results on his wraithbone-PDU. _"Too right boss! There's a reason why the Black Heart Kabal is the most powerful in all of Commorragh!"

**Alpharius:** "Decent pension?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Damn straight. Guaranteed souls for the rest of your retirement. **Plus** we look after your kids while you're off ravaging, raping and pillaging Imperial settlements in the Little Black Hearts Community Crèche"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Gotta take care of the little ones; they grow up to be big strong spiky and emotional Dark Eldar, after all ..."

**Alpharius:** "I'm honestly quite surprised. I didn't think your species had time to reproduce between all that inter-gang warfare and back-stabbing that apparently permeates your culture"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Don't be silly. How the hell do you think we managed to survive ten thousand years in a constant state of extreme Darwinism if we **didn't** breed like rabbits. To borrow a couple of Human references to make that last sentence easier for you folks (it's not like Darwin was an Eldar, **or** we have rabbits for that matter). I, personally, have more children of my own than I can possibly count, to many women who I have seduced, raped, seduced **and** raped, enjoyed a civilised cup of coffee between, met at the local gym, or bumped into on the streets … then raped"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Just occurred to me that this chapter is beginning to sound like something dragged kicking and screaming out of /b/ ..."

**Alpharius:** "I don't believe **anything** comes out of /b/ 'kicking' or 'screaming'. It would be doing **other** things, but physical violence and high volume communication **wouldn't** be it's first choices ..."

**Asdrubael Vect: **"... rape?"

**Alpharius:** _Exasperated._ "Yes, dammit, probably rape. Now quiet! I realise that occasionally PRIMARCHS descends into the realms of a Dead Baby Comedy (quite often when **you** lot are around), but can we please start respecting the moral standings of our audience? Rape is **not** funny-"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Except with clowns"

**Alpharius:** _Resisting the urge to face-palm, remembering he's wearing a power fist on his default 'face-palm' hand. _"Somewhere along the line, while I've been 'enjoying' your company, I seem to have lost the ability to be horrified with what you say ..."

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Extreme exposure to these guys seems to have that effect. So what delightful conversations have I conveniently missed?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "You don't want to know. It'll only overload your fragile little sensitive Blizzard-owned and copyrighted minds. You guys are so innocent I doubt even **consensual sex** exists on Azeroth"

**Illidan Stormrage:** "Firstly; don't be silly. Little Elves have got to come from somewhere, and when your women wear next to nothing **on a daily basis**, and all have ridiculously attractive bodies, sex **happens**. We just have the decency to not shove it down your throats as a cheap advertising gimmick … yet. Secondly; I don't live on Azeroth, as my Amazon account is quite clear on ..."

**Ferrus Manus:** "Strange, I can't picture a guy like you shopping ..."

**Illidan Stormrage:** _Shrugs. _"I've got the pass the time somehow while I wait for the next batch of raiders. Besides, when you live in a place with such awesome acoustics it's criminal not to install a eighty-two speaker surround sound system with naruu-powered sub woofer"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Now **there's** a use for those morally righteous entities of absolute energy ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Beyond a rather expensive flash light?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "I'm impressed Vect; you've actually managed to say something this chapter that doesn't so much cross the line twice, as drive over it on a high-speed Raider with dead babies hanging from the gantries by hooked chains"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I did that once … but the babies weren't dead"

**Alpharius:** _Wraps his arm around Vect and points to a distant corner of the Throne Room._ "See over there Vect? Just by the tapestry of dad kicking the Void Dragon's ass? Must be … ooh … some two miles away?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "One and a half"

**Alpharius:** _Waves dismissively. _"Whatever. See over there? That's the line. You're all the way over here on the **wrong** side of it"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I refuse to accept you and your line. Your line frankly offends me. Stop inserting boundaries in my life. You should have met my mother; wonderful women. She was the reason I lost my virginity at five"

**Alpharius:** "What did she do? Hook you up with a Wych with some (seriously) low self-esteem?"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Er ..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Oh good grief no. Mummy loved me too much for that. No I lost it to **her**"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Saw that one coming ..."

**Alpharius:** _His eye twitches. _"... good God-Emperor Almighty On His Golden Throne … you Eldar are **seriously ****ed-up **..."

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Why thank you. Do you want signed copies of my latest book?"

**Alpharius:** "Why of course, **TO BURN!!**"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Never thought I'd hear you championing moral rights, oh Master of Xanatos Roulette's brother of mine ..."

**Alpharius:** "Good point. I'm beginning to sound like Lorgar. What's up with that? Who's been writing my character lately? Oh … Dan 'Commissar's Should Be Nice To People' Abnett … **that** explains a lot. Vect; I need some **serious** Rape The Dog moment here. I need to pass that Moral Event Horizon at speeds so fast I'll be blue-shifted into a Smurf"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Clicks his fingers, and his fellow Kabalite Eldar drag the barely conscious Rivermoon to Alpharius feet. _"Here we are; a character so sickeningly sweet she'll give you diabetes"

**Rivermoon:** _Lifts her head to stare defiantly at Alpharius. _"What are you going to do? Torture me?"

**Alpharius:** _Shakes his head. _"Nope"

**Rivermoon:** "Rape me?"

**Alpharius:** "Good grief no. I'm a **protagonist** after all …"

**Rivermoon:** _Rapidly running out of horrible ideas her wonderfully innocent imagination would allow. _"Er … cut off my hair?"

**Alpharius:** _Raises an eyebrow. _"The fact you placed that **after** physical, emotional, and psychological violation is quite disturbing. I'd seek a psychiatrist if I were you, dear. No, I've something quite horrible in mind for you to ensure I'm placed firmly in the realms of the anti-hero" _Sits himself down in front of her and pulls out a soft-cover book from the pouches at his side. _"No, I'm going to read you the **entirety **of the _Dawn of War_ omnibus, written by the talented Mr. Goto, for your delight. You'll be pleased to know I will be pronouncing every grammatical and spelling mistake, and placing **extreme** emphasis on ever occurrence of the word 'bray', or a derivative of"

_Gasps of horror from all assembled. _

**Asdrubael Vect:** "You … you **MONSTER!!!**"


	164. Chapter 164

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR**

**"DON'T ASK: THEY'LL ONLY GIVE YOU THREE ANSWERS"**

"_You see, when mummy Eldar and daddy Eldar love each other very much … Slaanesh happens" - Tale told to little Eldar Children_

_Resuming where we (thankfully) left off last time …_

**Ferrus Manus:** "So … Golden Throne … movement … how are we going to achieve this gentlemen? What fantastic methods of Deus Ex Machina are we going to call upon to move a giant piece of arcanotechnology from the surface of one of the most heavily guarded planets in the entire galaxy to somewhere else in the universe? What Plot Device of Obscene Convenience is going to show up to save the day this time?"

**Lorgar:** "You called?"

**Ferrus Manus:** _Jumping about a foot into the air. _"God-Emperor on The Golden Toilet … where the **hell** did you come from?"

**Lorgar:** _Jerks his thumb back to the Golden Throne; the large blank 'door' behind it now glows with ethereal energy. _"Er … a **Plot Device**, so it happens. Do you remember that 'revelation' that the Golden Throne is in fact a giant Webway portal? Built on **Terra** (of all places to stick giant openings into the daemonically infested aether ...)"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Wait … it **works**? I thought you need some alpha-level psyker hooked up to power it?"

**Lorgar:** "We … we do … we have Eldrad"

_Speaking of which, the Farseer himself walks through the gate with several others of his like in tow, including Macha of _Dawn of War _fame. The fallen Phoenix Lord Arhra is not far behind, with several Chaos Eldar* in tow. He looks suitably embarrassed about something, and is trying to cover it by looking as bad ass as someone covered in scars and spikes can (which is __**very**__ …)._

**Eldrad:** "Greetings mon-keigh" _Throws a filthy look at the Dark Eldar. _"Vect, Rakarth, Hesperax-" _He blinks. _"Drazhar? What the **hell** are you doing here? I thought you were Arhra?"

**Drazhar, Master of Blades:** _Shrugs. _"I thought I was too"

**Arhra, Fallen Phoenix Lord of the Striking Scorpions Aspect:** "Well I don't. So suck it up. I like being me, and why would admitted Chaos-phobes like the Kabalite kin welcome me in? Let along allow me to set up a school of bodyguards that **guard the lives of the most important lords in Kabalite society**?"

**Alpharius:** "Well, to be fair it's never been stated **which** Chaos god you're aligned with (if any, but seeing as someone in the design studio seems to have an allergic reaction to Chaos Undivided these days, it's quite likely you're mono-god)"

**Arhra:** "I'll give you a hint … it's **not** Malal"

_**Falal:**__ "Dammit!"_

**Alpharius:** "Well that narrows it down to several hundred thousand at least ..."

**Ferrus Manus:** "I thought there was just four-"

_**Falal:**__ cough_

**Ferrus Manus:** "I mean five?"

**Alpharius:** "There's more than that, and if we're going to be controversial and consider the Eldar pantheon to be Warp entities of their own-"

_There's a sharp sound as Macha slaps Alpharius._

**Macha:** "Don't involve our gods with your dirty deities mon-keigh"

**Alpharius:** _Going on the defensive in the face of female fury. Could also be because being short for a Primarch, Macha is almost his height and decked out in gently throbbing rune gear and weaponry. _"Hey! I don't worship them … apparently … turns out I've been with dear old dad all this time!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "It's true; he sent dad a Christmas card this year. Didn't used to do that before _Legion_ came out ..."

**Macha:** "Hmmph!" _Tugs on her braid and folds her arms beneath her breasts._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Anyway ..." _Turns to Eldrad. _"How comes you can keep the Webway gate open, and dad, being the almighty Plot Device that he is, needs to be hooked up to it?"

**Eldrad:** "Because"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Because what?"

**Eldrad:** "Being Eldar lets me get away with using one word where a sentence is normally demanded to maintain a constructive narrative … so … 'because'"

**Ferrus Manus:** "... damn you Eldar and you mystical ways!"

**Lorgar:** "Indeed" _Frowns. _"What's with the comatose blonde girl here?"

**Alpharius:** "No particular reason. I was just feeling vindictive. Speaking of which, can we dispose of the _Dragonlance _characters please?"

_There's some rather unpleasant sounds, then a hose pipe is turned on._

**Lorgar:** "That was … impressive … I can see why they call you 'Decapitator' … er … Decapitator"

**Decapitator:** "Why thank you my good man … er … I mean … DECAPITATION!!"

**Lorgar:** "We digress; load it up guys! I want it through the portal to Otogsc before the hour is done!"

**Ferrus Manus:** "But wait; how are you planning to transport the Golden Throne **through** itself?"

**Eldrad:** _Grins._ "Someone doubts the Eldar ability to screw with established physics"

_The following forty minutes of intense activity is difficult to describe, suffice to say that they do, quite successfully, end up transporting the Golden Throne __**through itself**__ into the Webway beyond. After this impressive feat of spatial engineering, Ferrus Manus is left standing before an open tear in reality leading into the webway where the Golden Throne once stood._

**Ferrus Manus:** "Wow ..."

**Macha:** _Looking very pleased with herself._ "See? It's easy once you step back and take a look at it properly without any of this 'not logical' nonsense you mon-keigh insist on using all the time! I mean, the game itself would run a lot smoother if you stopped niggling over every little rule that didn't make sense and just went with the flow"

**Ferrus Manus:** "Is that what you did here?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Go with the flow?"

**Alpharius:** "NO! YOU ARE BANNED FROM TALKING **FOREVER!** Anything you say from here on out will be word-filtered to something more appropriate"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Butterflies and rainbows?" _Frowns. _"Sunshine and lolly-pops" _Becomes quite concerned. _"Fluffy bunnies and candy!"

**Lorgar:** "That's an improvement. Abusing your plot hole-making skills again Al?"

**Alpharius:** "Yes. Unfortunately it won't last after we defeat the plot hole and restore narrative cohesion to the universe once again …"

**Eldrad:** "Wait … narrative cohesion … _Warhammer 40,000_ … **narrative cohesion** … you mean **decent writing** … in _**Warhammer 40,000**_?!?" _Bursts into hysterical laughter._

**Alpharius:** "Yeah … **this** is why they killed you off"

**  
TO BE CONTINUED ...**

**Horus:** "So … erm … when do I get more screen time?"

**Leman Russ:** "Who cares about you, **where the hell am I?!?**"

_* I'm not going to start any large debate over whether or not they actually exist in canon fluff. That's for the wonderful threads in the Background forums to decide. As far as PRIMARCHS is concerned? They exist. Along with Squats and Zoats. And the Illuminati. And the Star Child. And the Sensei. And the Ultramarines have a half-Eldar Librarian. Suck it up._


	165. Chapter 165

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE**

**"SOMETHING ABOUT TABLES TURNING ..."**

"_It has come to our attention that many of our lesser members are misusing His Holy Inquisition's property for their own misdemeanour's. Let me set the record straight: the authority of an Inquisitor is __**not**__ to obtain free drinks at bar, the knowledge of the daemonic summons arts is not to easily get laid via the minions of the Dark Prince, and Exterminatus is __**not**__ to be used on any ex wife, annoying childhood friends, or dissociated family members. We are a __**serious **__organisation! And for the love of the God-Emperor __**stop**__ using the Astronomicon to broadcast YouTube videos of your childish pranks to every Inquisitor in the Segmentum!!"_

_Anyone who has played _Battlefleet Gothic_ (or, for those old enough to remember, _Space Fleet_) will know that space battles are a complex series of tactical manoeuvres were all sides seek to maintain the upper hand through spatial awareness and superior fire power. Luckily (or perhaps unfortunately) for the Imperium of Man and its reluctant allies in the battle against narrative dissonance, Horus has played neither game system (he prefers _Warmachine_)._

**Horus:** "Bring the Peach Fleet up five astronomical units and order Cherry-Flavoured-With-Icing Fleet two parsecs right and a bit to the left" _Folds his arms with a smug sense of self-satisfaction._

**Rogal Dorn:**_ Having transferred himself from the vessel he arrived in-system on to join his brother aboard the generally agreed (by no one in particular, save me) flagship of the fleet, the _Ultimate Badass. "Do you have **any** idea of actual stellar distances, or are you just quoting stuff you've heard from _Star Wars_?"

**Horus:** _Raises an eyebrow._ "Does it show that much?"

**Leman Russ:**_ Having finally decided to grace this series with his presence once again, after spending too much time in the dressing rooms backstage 'enjoying' the company of his female fans. _"A little, aye. If you push the fleet out to the distances and co-ordinates you've been mentioning so far in your so-called 'tactical genius', we'll be spread out further than-" _He goes on to sprout some lewd sexual analogy that I shan't repeat here. Suffice to say it involves stuff your mother probably warned you about._

**Hecate:** _Tips her head to one side._ "Think I've done that once ..." _Realises where she is and who she's in the company of, and quickly shakes herself out of memory road (previous sexual escapades avenue). _"Regardless (and wipe that smirk off your face Lee!); Horus the enemy is proving far more resilient than we previously anticipated. It doesn't look like we'll be able to win this"

**Horus:** "Are you suggesting defeat? Because I certainly didn't lower myself to quote _Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann_ just so we could wimp out and run away like a bunch of little girls … er, no offence Hecate to yourself and your fine Legion of highly-strung nerd rage material" _There's an almighty slap, and Horus stands looking quite sheepish as the entire right side of his face turns bright red (to his credit, Hecate's slap has been known to dislocate joints in Titans). _"Erm … anyway; we're Determinators! We go Beyond The Impossible! There's nothing we can't do if we set our minds to it!"

**Hecate:** "Except _The Sunday Telegraph_crossword ..."

**Horus:** _Slams his fist down onto the holographic table they all crowd around. _"The damn thing's **impossible**! The clues make no sense! What the hell's a 'linked series of observations'?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Eight letters?" _Horus nods. _"Chainsaw"

_Horus opens his mouth, then quickly shuts it before he says something stupid. That was surprisingly intelligent of him; I think Character Derailment might be on board …_

**Angron:** _Bangs his fist down upon the table. _"Dammit! We're so close! We could have them running like thirteen year old girls after a van filled with signed copies of _Twilight_ soaked in the sweat of the male cast of the movie!"

**Vulkan:** _Taking a step away from his large and angry brother. _"That analogy is both horrifying and disturbingly accurate, but the large angry man does have a point; this is the only chance we have to make a stand against the Plot Hole. If we allow it this day, to savour victory this one time only, then the battle will be lost. Morale will be lost from our troops, the Plot Hole will have the resources of both Terra and Mars, and we'll be left patching together a second attempt and an offensive from the pieces of an Imperium falling apart!"

**Corax:** "I have to agree with Vulkan; the severe shortage of alcoholic products in the Imperium brought about by the machinations of the Plot Hole have led to galaxy-wide civil unrest. Without the ability to lose themselves in a sea of drunken dreams the populace of the Imperium is waking up into sobriety to realise how much of a crap-sack world they live in. Suicide rates are spiralling out of control … doesn't help that the average 1st level citizen has 2 hit points and access to kitchen utensils which do D4 damage points ..."

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Man, I should send out my bros to do some up-lifting of the spirits of our people with some smooth music from the depths of our hearts ..."

**Mortarion:** "Yeah, and now suicide seems a **very** attractive option"

**Perturabo:** "And yet ..." _Frowns and he stares at the holographic images flickering before them (the image resolution is slightly better than whatever they use in _Star Wars_, but millennia of Adeptus Mechanicus control over technological development still leaves them behind High-Definition). _"This could be possible … even without Alpharius' crack-brained scheme of utilising the very narrativium that flows through our fictional universe to our own advantage"

**Roboute Guilliman:** "Yo, hey; what's up with that anyway? No one seems to explain anything to me 'round here"

**Hecate:** "That's because you're an idiot"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Well said sister" _Turns to Perturabo._ "Pert; what's your reasoning?"

**Perturabo:** _Raises an eyebrow. _"You're asking for my **opinion** Rog?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Shrugs._ "Hey, I just think after all we've been through so far through one hundred and sixty odd chapters of PRIMARCHS that we might … you know … have some sort of character development from the bickering siblings we were when the series first started … you know … progress of sorts from where the _Index Astartes_ series left off?"

**Perturabo:** _Gives the concept some thought._ "It seems that brute fire power isn't cutting it. We have vessels far more powerful than anything they're throwing at us, culled as they are from crappy American science fiction TV and film series. Yet we're being beaten at every turn by bad luck. The commanders of our ships forget centuries of disciplined training in the arts of celestial warfare. Our guns suddenly cease working along the (admittedly flimsy) laws of physics they've previously enjoyed. My brothers, and my dear sister, it seems we are fighting an entity unlike any other. We are fighting against **crappy fiction writing**. Every possible trope that could prohibit our progress in this battle is happening as we speak, and we are powerless to prevent it. Now … there's two choices available to us. We can either wait for Alpharius to complete his mission and summon a force powerful enough to alter the fabric of the fictional franchise itself … or" _He pulls out a slim computer from the clutches of a nearby thrall, who had been holding it patiently for the entire scene knowing what was ahead despite the early conversation not showing any hints that it would be needed (narrative is like that). _"We could use Alan Merrett's laptop again"

**Horus:** "I thought Alpharius said it wouldn't help us this time?"

**Hecate:** "He said it wouldn't help us defeat the Plot Hole. He said nothing about it's benefits as a **weapon** against it"

**Rogal Dorn:** "That makes sense. When bad writing affects your fan fiction; chance the source material to help things make narrative sense"

**Roboute Guilliman:** "But it won't defeat the Plot Hole?"

_There's a strange STRETCH, as if everything is pulled apart a little by a great force, then SNAPS back together with a force that everyone feels. Suddenly, the command bridge has several new occupants. _

**Mace Windu:** "I've **had it** with these motherfu- … wait … weren't we somewhere else just a moment ago?"

**THE PLOT HOLE: **"BE ATTENTIVE, MY CHILDREN! THE ENEMY IS BUT A SNAKE, AND LIKE A SNAKE THE HEAD MUST BE CUT SO THAT THE BODY MAY ROT AND DIE! I HAVE WOVEN THE FABRIC OF NARRATIVE TOWARDS THIS GOAL – DESTROY THE CREATURE KNOWN AS 'HORUS'!"

_Samuel L. Jackson- I mean Mace Windu and his fellow Jedi nod with solemn understanding, while the Predators charge up their weaponry, the xenomorph queen and her praetorian bodyguard hiss excitedly, and the T-800's grin like the metallic skeletons they are._

**Rogal Dorn:** "Looks like the enemy can ret-con the story too ..."

**Hecate:** "Regardless, they're not touching my brother"

_The Primarchs form a protective circle around Horus, brandishing their weapons against the enemy._

**Corax:** "I hope the delicious irony of this situation is not lost on my loyalist brothers?"

**Vulkan:** _Grinning. _"Relax; when this whole affair is over I'm giving Horus the ass-kicking of his life and that **still** won't make up for the **** he's put me through so far"

**Horus:** "Hey, that's what big brothers are for!"


	166. Chapter 166

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SIX**

**"ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN OF ULTIMATE DESTINY PART I"**

"_Ah … insert amusing opening quote here. I'm busy"_

_Not a sound can be heard throughout the command bridge of the _Ultimate Badass_ as the two sides judge the other's strengths and abilities. A thrall accidentally drops a small pin she was using to pin her cheeks back in a grim mockery of a smile for the amusement of her lord and master Horus. The small metal object hits the floor with a sound that could deafen death metal enthusiasts. _

**Roboute Guilliman:** _Looking around bored. _"Hey … are we … like … going to do anything? 'cause I've got a stylist appointment at two-thirty today and I was kinda wondering if we could wrap this show up before then, otherwise I've gotta **re-book** and that's just a pain in the ass … you know?"

**Horus:** "Seriously … **shut up**"

**Mace Windu:** "Enough talk. The time has come for you to be brought to justice!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "I guess this is the point where we split off into our separate choreographed fight scenes?"

**Vulkan:** _Springing forward to engage Mace Windu in powered sword combat. _"Makes it easier for the narrative that way"  
_  
The xenomorphs spring forward, only to be pinned down by genestealers and zergnids springing up from underneath the metal gantries. Sarah Kerrigan follows swiftly afterwards, slashing with her claws as well as unleashing psychic mega death blasts. _

**Rogal Dorn:** _Deflecting the blasts from the now cloaked and invisible Predators with an interesting application of a storm shield. _"Dammit! Where the hell are these guys? How am I supposed to defend against an opponent I can't see?"

**Perturabo:** "You're doing a good job so far. Just stick yourself and your massive ego between Horus and those invisible bastards and we'll do just fine"

**Rogal Dorn:** "How about I use **you** as shield instead?"

**Hecate:** "Quiet you two!" _She begins muttering to herself. _"Guess I'll have to do all the work around here ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** "What are you muttering about?" _Turns to where Hecate was only to find her gone. _"Where did she go?"

**Horus:** "Who cares? THRALLS! DEFEND YOUR LORD!"

_At his call hundreds of enslaved creatures throw themselves at the approaching terminators (the James Cameron kind, that is). They do little except slow the metal death machines down by clogging up their joints with bits of their bodies, torn to shreds by unceasing machine gun fire. _

**Horus:** _Seeming to be genuinely upset. _"Dammit! Those things are expensive to replace! Especially in times of economic recession!"

**Mortarion:** _Fending off Jedi with his disease-ridden scythe. _"Erm … Horus you do realise our universe **doesn't** **have** an economy? (Probably because trying to map out the economic flows of a galaxy spanning empire would probably drive the average table top game developer beyond the brink of insanity into the dark little realm just beyond which makes _Twilight_ fangirls seem sensible members of society.)"

**Horus:** "Screw you Mort; I **will** have an economic recession even if-"_A small green creature flies at him, performing a triple spin-kick in mid-air which sends Horus flying in five directions at once, all coming to a crumpled heap under the holographic projector in the centre of the command bridge. _

**Mortarion:** _Standing in shock. _"Merciful God of Vomit-Covered Carrot Chunks … what the in nine levels of the Warp **was that**?"

**Corax:** _His twin lightning claws stained with blood … although, as power weapons, wouldn't they __**cauterise**__ any wounds they inflict? And if not, how does a weapon designed to repel atomic forces, and hence slide through armour with ease, get covered with __**anything**__? God damn you 40K for making __**no logical sense**__ half the damn time! _"Spin-Yoda, it seems"

**Yoda:** _Adopting Badass Jedi Stance #256: Stance of Certain Painful Pwnage. _"Come forth, younglings, if you feel yourself ready to face the full power of the Force"

**Mortarion:** "**Younglings? **Dude, I'm like **nine thousand **years older than you!"

**Yoda:** "Only in body"

**Mortarion:** _Pauses for a moment, then shrugs. _"Touché"

_He hurls himself at Yoda; a twelve-foot high daemonically empowered genetically engineered half-human half-otherworldly entity fighting a two-foot high green midget old-aged pensioner. Fair? To his credit Yoda dances around Mortarion like an annoying wasp dances around a giant lumbering elephant. His lightsaber slices through Mortarion's ornate artificer armour in strategic points designed to slowly bring the giant to his knees. Death by a thousand cuts, except-_

**Mortarion:** "I **am** death!" _He growls, and suddenly twists the scythe partially through a great swing. The unexpected change in movement catches Yoda unaware, and a small gash is made by the weapon as the Jedi Master dodges. _

**Yoda:** _Landing on his feet and inspecting the wound. _"Not deep. You were unlucky"

**Mortarion:** "Not really. All I need is one small wound and the thousand and one diseases living on the blade of my scythe does the rest. At first you'll feel a sore throat" _Yoda begins to cough. _"Then rashes on your skin" _Yoda begins to scratch everywhere on his body. _"Then you'll feel dizzy" _Yoda begins to stumble. _"Sick" _Yoda begins to vomit._ "Involuntary muscle spasms of the bowels" _Yoda begins to soil himself quite messily. _"Then finally gross swelling and violent ruptures of all major organs as they dissolve into volatile gases that ignite on contact with the air" _As he says this he switches on the scythe's secondly function, which alters the shape of the weapon into an umbrella which the Primarch uses to shield himself from the sudden explosive end to Yoda. As he retracts the umbrella following the Jedi Master's relocation to … everywhere at once … Mortarion notices Corax standing beside him, soaked in … Yoda._

**Corax:** _Turning to Mortarion._ "You could have **warned** me that was going to happen"

**Mortarion:** "And spoil my fun?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Fighting elsewhere in the great room, outside the Yoda blast radius. _"Did someone just explode? I heard an explosion!"

**Perturabo:** _Ducking behind his own daemonically-possessed shield. _"Who cares? Dammit! Can you see where the shots are coming from?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "If I could, they wouldn't! Imperial Truth-damned aliens!" _He frowns as he realises his storm shield has stopped shuddering from the impacts of the Predator's weapons. _"Wait … have they stopped?"

**Perturabo:** _Peeking his head over the rim of his shield, sees nothing but a sea of dead Predators before him. _"What … ?" _In his confusion, he is startled as Hecate materialises from seemingly nowhere before him. _"Where the hell did you come from?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Wait; **you** were the Primarch who could turn invisible?"

**Hecate:** _Shrugs. _"So it seems my big secret is out. Luckily turning invisible also lets me see other invisible creatures. It's a game balance thing, honestly"

**Horus:** _Picking himself up from the ruins of the holographic projector. _"OK, **now** I'm pissed" _Screaming your typical blood cry, he throws himself into the fighting ranks of the Jedi, cutting them down left right and centre. _"This is for me! This is for my brothers! This is for my bitch of a sister! This is for my miserable first captain! This is for the current Chaos 'dex, and **this**-" _He punches one Jedi so hard he smashes through the space-time continuum and ceases to exist. _"-is me pretending you're Graham McNeil!! Gods-damn-it! Is a decent heel face turn too much to ask for?!?"

**Angron:** _Dripping in the blood of Jedi, not that you can see much considering his armour hasn't been cleaned of blood for ten thousand years. _"Good to see the old Horus back. Shall we bump this chapter's BBFC rating up through the roof, brother?"

**Horus:** _Grins._ "Lets have some fun ..."

_There's a sudden 'gasp', as if reality itself suddenly noticed something. Standing amongst the blood and gore stands the GOD-EMPEROR himself, flanked by Konrad Curze and Fulgrim. _

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"FUN?!? **REJECTED!!**"


	167. Chapter 167

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN**

**"ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN OF ULTIMATE DESTINY PART II"**

"_PRIMARCHS is an unofficial story by Lastie derived, without permission, upon the Warhammer intellectual property owned by Games Workshop Ltd, who reserve the right to deploy a crack team of heavily armed ex-SAS soldiers enslaved to our evil empire by the promises of free miniatures who will invade your house, rape your pets, and royally FETH YOU UP should you do anything that may or may not piss us off" - Legal Disclaimer_

_LAST TIME ON PRIMARCHS:_

_**Horus:**__ "OMG! Surprise Jedi buttsecks!!"_

_**Hecate:**__ "Lolz!! I haz invisibility!!"_

_**Yoda:**__ "I explode"_

_**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **__"IMPERIAL PARTY VAN HAS ARRIVED!!"_

_Or something to that degree anyway … so let us resume where we left off and see what new delights are to be found in the (completely unofficial) world of PRIMARCHS:_

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Stands impressively between Konrad Curze and Fulgrim, adorned in his massive golden suite of terminator armour and wielding the fiery blade of unknown (and unnamed) origin that contributed to the defeat of Horus ten thousand (give or take a couple of decades, as the current time frame of PRIMARCHS is kind of being played fast and loose here) years ago. _"So, my son. It comes at last to this. Our final showdown"

**Horus:** _Raises an eyebrow in confusion._ "Wasn't that was you said **last time**?"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Is taken aback._ "Did I? Damn … OK, how about 'Rematch bitch!'"

**Horus:** _Sighs._ "Sure dad. Whatever. Hands up everyone here who's got a grudge against dad!" _Everyone promptly raises their hands. Hecate raises two, and the Bloodthirsters on the end of Angron's weapon also raise their own hands (brining his total to three). Horus takes a quick look around, counts hands, and grins. _"Gang-pile"

_They leap forward and smash into the EMPEROR OF MANKIND! with the combined force of half a dozen atomic bombs. Fulgrim and Konrad Curze stare in amusement as the Master of Mankind, He Who Sits On The Golden Throne With The Blessing Of The Gods (which gods has never been confirmed, as the Eldar pantheon swear they were never consulted, Gork and Mork are quoted as not giving a damn, and the Chaos gods have always been violently opposed to Humanity making a god of order) is subjected to the combined pummelling of fourteen Primarchs releasing all their pent-up parental issues that have built slowly for the last ten thousand years. _

_Suffice to say, it's not pretty._

**Fulgrim:** _Raises a hand meekly._ "Er … guys? We're really on your side all along. Honest. It was all part of Al's 'Grant Master Plan' to infiltrate the higher ranks of the Plot Hole's forces and draw their attention away from Al's little 'gotta collect 'em all' quest-line? Seriously ..."

**Konrad Curze:** "I don't think they can hear you ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** _Furiously swinging his thunder hammer. _"Oh we hear you all right"

**Hecate:** _Her massive blade repeatedly slamming down. _"We've known for ages you guys were just pretending to face-heel-turn and join the other side. We've just been looking forward to telling dear old dad how much we appreciate what he's done for us" _Raises a hand. _"OK, hold up guys. That's enough; we've almost beaten him into the Warp"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"... I feel pain …"

**Mace Windu:** _Standing in amazement along with the surviving Jedi and Terminators. _"We were never our allies? **Traitors!** Kill them a-ARGGH!" _Screams as he melts into a puddle of liquid flesh and bone._

**Vulkan:** _Gently lowering the smoking multi-melta. _"Ah screw it. I couldn't be bothered to finish that fight"

**Corax:** _Leaping forward to engage the Terminators. _"Lazy. You're turning into Carl, you know ..."

**Angron:** _Slaughtering xenomorphs with Kerrigan. _"So erm … I was thinking that … perhaps … after we finish saving the galaxy … we could talk … you know … about us … and stuff"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** _Crushing the skull of a queen between her claws. _"Yeah … sounds good"

_Elswhere, fighting the remains of the Jedi …_

**Hecate:** "Who's ordering the fleet?"

**Perturabo:** "I left Sylvanas in charge, in case I get distracted by plot developments such as this"

**Hecate:** "You left a **High Elf** from a pseudo-medieval setting fantasy world in charge of orchestrating a **space battle**?"

**Perturabo:** _He shrugs. _"Hey, she claims _Homeworld_'s her favourite RTS of all time, and coming from someone **born** in an RTS I took it to mean something"

**Konrad Curze:** "Hey, bet she screws up royally"

**Perturabo:** "Oh thanks for that Mr Optimism"

**Mortarion:** "I thought that was **my** title?"

**Leman Russ:** "ENOUGH TALK! MORE BLOODY AND CONTROVERSIAL VIOLENCE!"

_The resulting violence is short and bloody. As the Primarchs stand (almost) united amongst the corpses of their enemies (several of them are now melting through the floor into the decks below) Horus lowers a hand to the beaten form of his father (spiritually at least. The genetics have never been proved)._

**Horus:** _Smiling._ "Nice work dad"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Accepting the hand offered. _"I do what I can, and it's usually pretty awesome stuff … ouch. Mind the back. Someone hits like a supernova ..."

**PLOT HOLE:** "DO NOT THINK THIS EVENT HAS SECURED YOUR VICTORY, FOOLISH MORTALS. MY ARMIES ARE ENDLESS. THEIR WILL STRONG AS ADAMANTIUM. THEIR POWER UNEQUALED. EVERY MOMENT YOU RESIST ONLY DELAYS YOUR INEVITABLE DEFEAT!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Is he still talking?"

**Mortarion:** "Wish he'd shut up ..."

**PLOT HOLE:** "NOW WITNESS THE DEVASTATING FIREPOWER OF … WAIT A SECOND. DID SOMEONE MENTION THIS WAS ALL A 'DIVERSION'?"

**Perturabo:** "Oh crap ..."

**PLOT HOLE: **"DAMN SNEAKY!"

**Alpharius:** "HELL YEAH BITCH! WITNESS MY AWESOMENESS!"

_All turn to see the arrival of a strange group of individuals on the upper balconies of the command bridge. Alpharius stands with his twin Omegon, who looks suitably embarrassed at his twin's outburst. Magnus stands behind carrying a large Necron artifact, with the Chaos gods arrayed beside him (Khorne calmly balancing the Golden Throne on his back). Lion El'jonson stands with the elite of his Chapter, while Mephiston stands with Jaina Proudmoore, Taldeer, Eldrad, and the elite of the Eldar. A single squat adorned with polished gold exo-armour stands before them all, wearing a triumphant smile on his face. Ferrus Manus, Illidan Stormrage, Asdrubael Vect, and the other Dark Eldar stand to one side, looking quite bored._

**Omegon:** _Muttering to himself. _"If I knew who to pray to I'll ask them to open up the ground and swallow me so I might escape my egotistical twin ..."

**PLOT HOLE:** "WHAT IS THIS?!?"

**Alpharius:** "This is the **end of the line!**"


	168. Chapter 168

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT**

**"I THINK THIS QUALIFIES AS AN AUTHOR FILIBUSTER"**

_"Eventually, the question you ask stops being "_Who is John Galt?_" and becomes 'When will John Galt shut up?'" - Opening quote for the __Author Filibuster__ page on TV Tropes_

**PLOT HOLE:** "SO, I SEE YOU HAVE COLLECTED ALL FOUR KEY ASPECTS OF NARRATIVE AND GAINED POSSESSION OF THE TOME OF TROPES, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO SAVE YOU! THE PROCESS REQUIRES A CONVENIENTLY LONG AMOUNT OF TIME; TIME THAT **YOU DON'T HAVE**!"

**Alpharius:** _Scoffs in disgust_. "What? Do you think me some republic serial villain? I did it all three hundred years in the past before you even existed in this universe. All I have to do is have Magnus here say the final two words, and you're toast"

**PLOT HOLE: **"WHAT?!? YOU WOULDN'T DARE!"

**Alpharius:** "Really? I guess you don't know me very well"

**PLOT HOLE: **"WAIT! DON'T DO THIS! YOU **NEED** ME!!"

**Alpharius:** "**Need** you? For what? To destroy all that we hold dear? To brutalise the stories we try and tell, to lead them down a back alley and do to them what was done to Monica Bellucci in _Irreversible_. All for what? What possible reason do you have for existing? I'll tell you: because authors are ******ing lazy**. They're lazy because they're **paid for what they do**, and to be honest who wouldn't want to cut corners if it means that latest tome is shipped off to book stores everywhere that little sooner?"

**Alpharius Again:** "They're lazy because the effort to ensure **you don't exist** isn't worth the extra iota of research, careful planning, and detail necessary to ensure all corners are rounded off, all necessary questions are answered, and all **holes are filled**. **That** is the reason why you exist, and the reason why you continue to plague the existence of fictional characters like myself. Without you, my life would be a lot easier and I wouldn't have so many gaps to fill"

**Still Alpharius:** "Now I'm not going against being deliberately vague as an intentional device by the author. Hell, it worked so very well in the early days of Rogue Trader when us Primarchs were just Imperial Commanders (to be honest we still are; we just have a fancy title and character status all to ourselves now) and our marines were a bunch of criminals and convicts doped up on more drugs than the average Hunter S. Thompson book. The universe was fresh; the possibilities were endless. You felt like you could do **anything** and somehow it would still fit (although I'm sure Rogue Trader would still have issues with 'Hello Kitty' marines)"

**Alpharius Is Still Talking: **"Then those mysteries were answered, and the background was expanded. Again; I've no problem with expansion. It kinda justifies buying a new rulebook every half a decade just to see what new characters, organisations, species, and technology have appeared since we last opened our eyes and took a look out the porthole into the universe. But then, sooner or later someone has a bright idea, and in the rush to push it out doesn't do the research to see whether their bright idea conflicts with what's already existing. If it does then we have **you**"

**Alpharius Is Not Shutting Up:** "A great example: the Necrons when they first appeared were cool. These mysterious robots, the last survivors of an ancient race, that appear from nowhere and gauss-rape your ass. We knew barely anything about them, and it **rocked**. Then the Ordo Xenos had to go ask questions, and the developers had to go answer them when the Necrons finally got their own Codex. Only, the questions answered only **raised more questions.** And not the good kind either. Like watching Lost, or the worse parts of the X-files. Every time you thought one question had been answered, another five popped up unexpectedly"

**Alpharius Keeps On Talking:** "So, apparently the Eldar had been created by the Old Ones to fight against the Necrons, who subsequently awoke the Warp which then started sending out Enslavers (and would these be the same Enslavers who are now so inconsequential to the fluff they were seemingly an afterthought in a Chapter Approved article along with Catachan Barking Toads?) who (I guess)** enslaved everyone** or something, or ate them. I don't know. It's kinda fuzzy there.

**Alpharius Just Doesn't Shut Up:** "So the Necrons go to sleep, hoping to wake up when everything is back to normal and the galaxy is full of life again. For a cynical, depressive race of bastards who wouldn't appear out of place at a My Chemical Romance concert, those Necrontyr sure were being **positive** there weren't they? So OK, I can buy that, but then Fridge Logic sets in and you realise that the Eldar not only survived this **physic holocaust**, but **failed to kill off the sleeping enemy they were genetically engineered to fight!**"

**Alpharius Continues To Rant: **"Sure, you may say, the Necrons were more powerful than the Eldar. That could be right, but while the Necrontyr were developing their technology for a couple thousand years perhaps (again, this is a little vague, but there's no chance of an official time-line now, is there? Would be helpful to sort out my birthdays), the Eldar had **sixty gods-damned million years plus** to perfect theirs to the state-of-the-badass-Necron-killing-art"

**Alpharius Is Serious Trying My God-Damn Patience (And, I Suspect, Yours):** "That's just an example that annoyed me the **least. **I've got bigger examples, but I believe my point is made. Why take us for idiots? After all we've done you slap us in the face with craftworld-destroying, Necron-death-star-slaying Ultrarmarines of Awesome (and apparently now **all** marines are really Ultramarines in disguise – go figure). As for Avatars? **They have no lungs! How can you strangle them?!?** Is it too much to ask for some adherence to any semblance of internal fictional integrity? Otherwise what's the point? Why doesn't the Emperor get off his throne, pick up the giant space mallet of funky dancing, and swing a home run with the Eye of Terror? After all, it's certainly possible in a universe that **just doesn't seem to care**. Well guess what; **we're caring. Starting from now**"

**PLOT HOLE:** "YOU – NEED – ME!!!"

**Alpharius:** "No I don't. Magnus?" _He frowns when nothing happens, and turns around to find everyone else sitting around playing a card game. _"MAGNUS!"

**Magnus: **_Looks up._ "What? Have you finished? Can we actually **carry on with the plot**?"_When he sees the look Alpharius throws at him, he smiles and lays down the cards. _"Oh fine. I was just pulling your leg" _He clears his voice, and utters the final words that complete the weaving of narrative. _"FAN W**K"

**PLOT HOLE: **"**DO … NOT … WANT!!!!**"

_There's a great cry, as if the universe itself is torn asunder. Reality shifts as light is twisted, gravity halts, the laws of physics (whatever was left with them anyway) break down utterly. The command bridge of the Ultimate Badass warps and pulses, and the Primarchs hang on for dear life to whatever they can find._

**Horus:** "WAS THIS A GOOD IDEA?!?"

**Hecate:** "TOO LATE NOW … FULGRIM! WATCH WHAT YOU'RE HANGING ONTO! THAT'S MY BREA-"

**Fulgrim:** "Maybe this is a good time to say I'm not Fulgrim? I'm actually a daemon that's been inhabiting the body of your brother for the last ten thousand years"

**Hecate:** "WHAT?!?"

**Fulgrim:** "Yeah I know. I didn't find out until last week. Ret-con anyone?"

**Mortarion:** "WAIT?!? I HAVE A KID?!?"

**Sarah Kerrigan:** "WITH ME?!?"

**Tzeentch:** "Hang on … what happened to that _Gaunt's Ghosts_ character I stole for some espionage?"

**Josef Bugman III:** "AND WHAT ABOUT THE AWESOME STORY ARC THAT WOULD SEE ME TRANSFORMED INTO A CHARACTER WORTHY OF BEING A KEY ASPECT OF NARRATIVE?!?"

**Taldeer:** "EZEKYLE! WHAT WAS THAT IDEA YOU HAD TO GET THE PRIMARCHS TO JOIN THE ILLUMINATI?!?"  
**Ferrus Manus:** "AND WHERE THE HELL DID MY TITAN GO?!?"

**Mephiston:** "Why is everyone shouting?"

_There's a loud crashing sound, and everything …_

_…............................. starts …................................................._

_….................................................. .................. falling …..............................................._

_….................................................. .................................................. .......... apart …......................._

_…............... until we find our heroes standing amidst a sea of unspoken narrative (it looks like a blank white background). _

**Lorgar:** "I just realise what a massive mess of dangling plot threads, unexplained character developments (if you could use that term), and plot pacing that felt as if the narrator was suffering from ADD that **whole bloody arc was!** What the **hell?!?**"

_Like reading a Black Library novel, really._

**Lorgar:** "What? Oh … I see what you did there"

**Horus:** "Now that Lastie's finished his anvilicious take that against **every-fething-thing** imaginable, can we please finish re-writing the Plot Hole out of existence so we can go back to doing something more enjoyable? Like drinking ourselves under the table?"

**Alpharius:**_ Settling down with Alan Merrett's laptop (don't ask where he got it)._ "It's going to be difficult. This setting is a real mess right now. The Plot Hole basically took us up the ass with a spiked, poisoned, mono-filament-injecting sex toy. There's not much left to salvage ..."

**Hecate:** "Then what are we going to do?"

There's a solemn silence as everyone contemplates the future of their universe, then:

**Alpharius:** "Ah, sod it. I'm restoring the save file to an earlier version"

**Hecate:** "You mean?"

**Alpharius:** "Yes, this is officially a reboot to an earlier point in the story. It's been nice knowing you all, hope our character developments go more smoothly in the next run"

**Horus:** "Before you hit that key, I just want to tell you how much of an ego-centric bastard you a-"

= = = P*R*I*M*A*R*C*H*S = = =

**DAWN OF WAR ARC**  
**PART I - THE WARP CARD ACE**  
**  
CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT**

**"DEJA VU?"**

**Eldrad:** "Because some bright spark in GW decided they needed a shock death to mark the end of the Eye of Terror campaign – and I got the honour! Do you have any idea how **boring** the soul of a corrupted Talisman of Vaul is? All it talks about is how pretty the stars are ..." _He shudders at the memories … then frowns. _"What was the question?"

**Creed:** _A little confused as to what has got the normally unflappable Eldrad Ulthran puzzled. _"I asked why you're here … what's the matter? Couldn't think of the customary three answers to shock and horrify us all?" _Looks a little pleased with himself at the insult he thought up on the spot with a brain still full of delicious cookies._

**Arhra:** "We all have our reasons to be here Creed, stop trying to make us justify the narrator choices for who's in this club ... you all right Eldrad?"

**Eldrad:** "What? Oh yes. I just thought … that I was somewhere else there … for a moment ..."

**Arhra: **"Right … well so long as you remember where you are now. Don't go crystallising on me just yet … anyway – the Primarchs!"

**Abaddon:** "I say we give them **one more chance** ... but this time lets try something different"

**Eldrad:** "Didn't you already say that?"

**Abaddon:** _Blinks. _"No … I'm pretty sure I didn't"

**Eldrad:** "Oh ..."

**Arhra:** _Genuinely concerned. _"Do you want a drink or anything Eldrad?"

**Eldrad: **"What? No … I think I'm fine. Probably just the precognition kicking in accidently again. Just remind me if I'm answering a question you haven't asked yet"

**Arhra:** _Grins._ "Will do" _He turns back to Abaddon. _"Well: we're all ears ..."

_Abaddon explains his plan to all assembled, and there is general agreement of its awesomeness. _

**Arhra:** "It's settled then – we'll do that ... now ... to the second item of agenda: our tea and biscuit fund. Someone, no pointing fingers here-" _All fingers point to Creed._ "-has been eating more than his share of biscuits, and the fund can't keep up. Creed; if you could respect that everyone has the right to at least one biscuit?"

**Creed:** "But-"

**Arhra:** "Don't make me bring out the wafer thin mint! You won't like that!"

**Creed: **_Bows his head in shame._ "OK ..."

**Arhra:**"Right ... third item of agenda – the décor ... any chance of something that's not so dark and depressing? We're trying to avoid the clichés here folks ..."

_**TO BE CONTINUED …**_

**Eldrad:** "Seriously guys … I **swear** we've been through this already ..."

Wait ... did they just **delete 80-odd chapters of work**?


	169. Chapter 169

**CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE ( 169 )**

**"A GOOD WALK SPOILED"**

"_Listen up lad; you're a Fenrisian blacksmith now. We'll spend our entire lives moving around every year because this damn planet can't make up its mind on how the map should be drawn. Our best ore is only found on a small group of islands off the coast of Asaheim, and every year those damn Iron Gods pop down and demand tribute. 'course, if you're smart kid, you'll __**give it too them**__. Otherwise you'll find out first hand how much a servo-arm to the face hurts ..." - Anonymous Fenrisian blacksmith_

_On a distant world, orbiting a distant sun (although from where we're measuring this 'distant' thing I'm not sure ... Zanzibar perhaps?) two god-like figures adorned in glittering armour measure the worth of the other. The time has finally arrived; the epic clash of titans to decide once and for all who should have become Warmaster of the Imperium … although in all seriousness isn't this the fifteenth time they've done this?_

**Horus:** _Grips his weapon of choice tightly in the artificer-crafted gloves of his treasured suit of Terminator armour. _"Who's counting?"

**Mephiston:** _Standing witness to this clash of gods, is suitably unimpressed being the concentrated figure of pure awesome that he is (plus he's dating the hottest Farseer since that chick from _Dawn of War I_, so I guess he does have an excuse for a healthy dose of colossal arrogance). _"I am"

**Sanguinius:** _Who would be royally pissed at having missed the entirety of the previous arc, if certain members hadn't erased it from continuity. _"It's a tough shot … are you Primarch enough to handle it, brother?"

**Horus:** _Raises his weapon, assumes the warrior's stance, and takes aim. _"I am **always** ready" _His phone promptly goes off in the middle of his back-swing, causing Horus to lose concentration and send the golf ball hurtling off in entirely the wrong direction towards the 'very rough, perhaps dangerous, terrain' off the fairway. _"Gods-dammit!" _He gestures to one of the thralls standing with his golf bag to acquire the mobile from the depths of his hip-hung battle pouch and hold it to his ear (terminator armour isn't the most flexible of protective wear, and before you ask he was swinging the gold club __**one handed**__). _"Who the hell is this?"

**Alpharius:** _Yelling from the other side of the connection. _"Ego-centric bastard?!? Is that not the most **hypocritical thing you've ever said**?!? I mean … **pot. Kettle. Black!!!**"

**Horus:** "Ah … so you remember?"

**Alpharius:** "Of **course** I remember!!! I'm not exactly going to wipe my **own **memories from the continuity am I?" _The strange sound of Alpharius laughing begins drifting from the device, and Horus looks at it in confusion. He honestly had no idea his brother __**had**__ a sense of humour …_

**Horus:** "So how comes I can remember?"

**Alpharius:** "Only plot-important characters are immune to drastic alterations in the space-time continuum, due to our unique nature as _ta'veran_ or whatever you want to call it. Look; the main reason I called (aside from insulting you, which happens to be my favourite pastime) was to let you know in advanced that dad's going to be holding a 'surprise' celebration for all the good deeds you performed during last year's summer campaign arc against the C'tan … you **do **remember that arc don't you?"

**Horus:** "Yeah, it was … er … the last arc wasn't it?"

**Alpharius:** "That's a good boy. Dad remembers, of course, but he remembers what needs to be done for good public relations, as well. Probably because he's got Malcador the What-Sig-Would-You-Like? giving him 'advice' ever other sentence. So your party's on … again. You'll be please to know we **won't** be expecting the arrival of a trio of necromancers any time soon ..."

**Horus:** "Yeah, where **was** that whole sub-plot going?"

**Alpharius:** "Chaos undivided **don't** ask me" _[Author's Note: We would probably use 'Jesus Christ' as an exclamation here, but obviously that name (and the religion surrounding it) has disappeared long ago in the 40K background, so Alpharius is using the next best religion-baiting profanity] _"Just … **don't**. I don't have the time or the inclination to indulge myself in the mental effort to try and explain **anything** to you right now. Anyway; just thought you might want a head's-up. You're my favourite brother, you know?"

**Horus:** "Hey, you too mate. Take it easy with that empire of yours"

**Alpharius:** _He laughs again, causing Horus to wince. Humour really doesn't suit Alpharius. _"Raised the taxes to 90% and the poor bastards still worship the ground I walk on. Hell, I could tell them public suicide was in favour of the Greater Good and the streets would be covered in dead fish before the end of the day. Heh … catch you later" _He hangs up._

**Sanguinius:** _Having already taken his shot, and had been patiently waiting for Horus to finish. _"Who was that?"

**Horus:** _Gesturing for the thralls to pack the mobile away and retrieve his seven iron from the buggy. _"Just Al. Wanted to talk about that movie we watched the other night. Had plots that made no sense"

**Mephiston:** _Smiles in a strangely disturbing way. _"Really?"

**Horus:** _Staring at Mephiston with a curious expression on his face, begins to open his mouth to ask the question on his mind but is interrupted by the arrival of Hecate and her elite Cheerleader squad._

_A brief explanation of the organisation of the Hell Bunnies Legion should be in order: just like the Space Wolves the Hell Bunnies are fiercely individualistic in their approach to organisation, and have repeatedly refused to adhere to the Codex Astartes. This, naturally, has resulted in a long standing enmity between the Hell Bunnies and the Ultramarines (and all their successor chapters, all several-damn-hundred of them …). Just like the Space Wolves, the Hell Bunnies are organised into 'companies', known as Girlfriends (ten of them in total. One for each colour variant of the universe's most popular hair dye product), all of them led by fiercely independent Bunny Boilers (the equivalent of a Wolf Lord). Each Bunny Boiler has her own Cheerleader squad; an elite team hand-picked from the best of her Girlfriends. Feared for their terrifying vortex pom-pom weaponry, the Cheerleaders were declared broken in 2nd Edition 40K and banned from official tournaments._

**Sanguinius:** _Greeting his sister with a kiss on both cheeks. _"Dear sister, to what do we owe this pleasure?"

**Hecate:** _Being fanned by one of her Cheerleaders, despite her Primarch constitution not really noticing the heat of the mid-day sun. _"Dear brother Horus. You may have saved the universe from the perils of the C'tan, but that doesn't give you reason to avoid duty by playing **golf**"

**Horus:** "I'm quite sure my sister has informed me of that before" _Wink._

**Hecate:** _Knowing smile._ "Maybe, but it bears repeating again"

**Sanguinius:** _Watching the two with suspicion on his face, turns to Mephiston. _"Do you get the feeling we've missed important dialogue somewhere along the line?"

**Mephiston:** _Smiling to himself. _"You might, my lord"

**Horus:** "Regardless, this is not a golf game; this is **revenge**"

**Hecate:** _Opens her mouth with an all-knowing 'oh'. _"So it seems that he-" _She points towards Horus. _"Carves you-" _She points at Sanguinius._ "-into bite-sized pieces with his lightning claws, so in retaliation you decide to obtain a lower handicap"

**Sanguinius:** "That's the idea, yes. I don't know why you're complaining – you've always told me to seek more non-violent solutions to my problems"

**Hecate:** "Very well" _She observes the scenery around her. _"So who's winning?"

**Sanguinius:** _His face darkens with disgust. _"Horus; the lucky bastard"

_As he speaks they notice a lone Black Legionnaire approaching in the distance, running across the course with surprising ease for someone clad in daemonically-possessed powered armour. As he reaches the Primarchs and their attendants, he holds up a wax-sealed scroll of paper. _

**Black Legionnaire:** "Message, my lord! An astropathic transmission from Terra Herself! Just arrived a few minutes ago! I took the liberty to inform my lord personally as quickly as possible"

**Horus:** _Taking the scroll from his Legionnaire's hands. _"Good work Jim. I see you're gunning for promotion" _'Jim' swells with pride. _"However you just ran across seven fairways, leaving your dirty armour impressions in the grass" _'Jim' deflates with embarrassment. Horus reads the scroll without much surprise as to its contents. _"Seems like dad's throwing a party in my honour"

**Hecate:** "In your **honour**? What would possess him to do such a thing? In case anyone's forgotten you are the Great Evil One, the Arch-Heretic, or whatever else the Ministorum has taken to calling you these days. Regardless, you're the number one public hate figure for the Imperium. Why would dad hold a celebration in **your** honour?"

**Sanguinius:** "I agree with my sister. This makes no sense. As little as when dad decided to withhold information about technology that would improve public transport between worlds during the last days of the Great Crusade, and look where **that** got us"

**Horus:** "I maintain it was the disturbing as hell dream I had on Davin, and not dad's poorly considered public information policy that started the Heresy, but to be honest the whole thing is rather blank … and a little conflicting at times with what I remember. I think Magnus was there ..."

**Hecate:** "Well I wouldn't know – dad locked me and my Legion up on Luna because apparently we 'made you boys look bad'" _She laughs. _"Honestly, you men. As soon as a woman shows herself capable of waging mass interstellar crusades against xenos scum and heretics you start acting as if we're threatening to castrate you all. Well honestly – suck it up. My girls are **the best**, and the sooner you recognise that the better" _She ends the speech with her hands on her hips looking suitably impressed with herself. _

**Sanguinius:** _Gives Horus an exasperated look. _"I feel, brother, that your 'Heresy' was waged against the **wrong target**"


	170. Chapter 170

**CHAPTER NINETY (170)**

**"ORGANISED CHAOS"**

_Deep the in the darkest corners of the Eye of Terror, there lurks creatures Man Was Not Meant To Know About (Google them if you must). Twisted dreams given form by the rantings of madmen, echoes of the fallen empire that once spanned the stars and whose children still wonder alone in their great vessels in the void between worlds, and (most horrifying of all) abominable plushie horrors that leap out at unsuspecting victims …_

**Slaanesh:** _Hugging her stuffed, terrifyingly cute mutant abomination. _"Aaah! So **cute**!!!"

_Yeah … horrifying. The true face of Chaos that sends mortals mad with its reality-twisting revelations, the Dark Secret all followers of the Ruinous Powers hold against the enemies of the Chaos Gods. We discover this secret deep within Lorgar's fortress-cathedral on Sicarus, where the great Primarch is 'entertaining' the combined ambassadors from eight of the nine Chaos legions (Mortarion sent himself, his excuse being that he needed to get out of the house and away from the wife) ..._

**Erebus, Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers (And Winner of **_**Maxim**_**'s #1 Most Two-Dimensional Personality in a Work of Fiction 31,567): **"**Unions?!?** But we're **Chaos**, my lord Lorgar! What use do we have for **unions**?!?"

**Lorgar:** _Sighing, closes the mighty tome he was currently working on (his latest in a long line of best-selling self-proclaimed 'lifestyle altering works of fact – join Chaos and discover the inner you!') and stares down at his (apparently) greatest Dark Apostle. _"While this may seem hard for your mind to grasp, Erebus, and good heavens there's many things in this universe you seem to have difficulty comprehending, like **tact** and **subtlety** (thank the gods Horus is a complete idiot otherwise the rebellion would **never **have begun thanks to your pantomime bungling), the fact remains that while we may worship the concept of limitless potential without rules or regulations, we humans are nonetheless creatures of habit. And one of those habits is forming groups led by strong minded individuals to protect their lesser members against the dangers of the universe. Like you lead your warband across the galaxy spreading the good will and explanatory pamphlets of Chaos, so do the thralls unite under unions that promise such things as decent hours, regulated whipping, and reductions on daily sacrifices"

**Firraveus Carron:** _Sitting to one side (being, after all, an Alpha Legionnaire and filled to the brim with paranoia brought about by not being entirely sure what his own back story is, let alone that of his legion). _"These 'unions' must be swiftly dealt with! Death to any who joins such an unholy organisation! Let their blood flow through our streets! Lets bathe in their vital fluids, and drink it heartily until we choke on their life essence!"

_Silence._

**Ahriman:** _Cringing and shifting in his summoned daemon-seat a few inches away from Carron._ "Anyone else here now feeling **extremely** creeped out?"

**Mortarion:** _Shrugs while he juggles snot balls (and yes, you did read that right). _"I've heard worse. You should listen to Ev'rii sometime when she's discussing 'that time of the month' in combination with the number of-" _Lorgar coughs loudly._ "-she has on her body. Suffice to say it gets messy"

**Ahriman:** _Blinks. _"I take that back" _Points at Mortarion._ "**That** was the creepiest thing I've ever heard in my life. Please stop talking. Now"

**Lorgar:** "Mort, put down those balls of whatever-I-don't-want-to-know-what-that-is and concentrate for at least five minutes? It's not often I manage to hold a coherent council of the nine legions without someone saying something that inevitably leads to bloodshed and gore, and you know how hard it is to clean entrails off the carpet?"

**Mortarion:** "I wouldn't know. Some of us get by in life without posh carpets and mildly imposing wallpaper" _Glances off to one side. _"And what the hell is **that?!?**"

**Lorgar:** "A tea cosy"

**Mortarion:** _Shifting in his seat. _"It's looking at me. Is it possessed?"

**Lorgar:** "No. It keeps the tea warm" _Turning to the ambassador from the Black Legion. _"Tarik, how's the Mournival?"

**Tarik Torgaddon, Chief of Security for the Black Legion:** "Not too bad, thanks m' lord. Been a bit of a ruckus lately, you see; Ezzie's got 'imself a girl ya' know. A right bird, she is. Slim waist, nice ti-"

**Lorgar:** "That's quite enough thank you. Right, well it seems the pleasantries are at an end, so let us resume discussion of today's most important topic; the increasing power these unions are enjoying in our fair land of chaos"

**Khârn the Betrayer, Starting Pitcher for the World Eaters:** "I agree with Carron; we need to end these unions as quickly as possible before they gain enough influence to countermand the legion's power over the lost and the damned" _Lorgar coughs. _"I mean lost and the **darned.** Look; it's not a democracy here in the Eye. We haven't needed any sort of worker's rights for the last ten thousand years of uncontested tyrannical rule, and we don't need any now"

**Ahriman:** "I believe you're missing the point. It seems the thralls believe **they** need rights"

**Khârn the Betrayer:** "But why would we give them that? The whole point of joining chaos is to endure a hellish social climb through murder, manipulation, seduction, genocide, extreme birth control, chewy sweets, and bad ass colour schemes. Why would you take that away and inject some 'safety nets' to help you climb to the top? When did the Powers award daemonic gifts through the ability to point out when you're getting screwed on your holiday allotment?"

**Tarik Torgaddon:** "Daemonic gifts? What're these?"

**Lorgar:** "Oh sorry Tarik. I forget you didn't exist canonically long enough to remember the glories of the old days. You see, daemonic gifts are the warp-spawned psychic emanations given to us by the emotional conduits of ..." _Trails off as he sees Tarik's eyes gloss over. _"Ahem. I mean to say they're candy. Candy given to us by the gods as a reward for being a good boy"

**Tarik Torgaddon:** "Damn bleedin' nice of them, that is!"

**Lorgar:** "Indeed. Now to answer your point, Khârn ..."

**Khârn the Betrayer:**_Perks up. _"I have a point?" _Leaps to his feet with his hands punching the air. _"YES! GODS YES! WHO'S YOUR DADDY? WHO? I AM! KHÂRN-MOTHER-FETHING-BETRAYER! SUCK MY CHAINAXE BITCHES!" _Begins to head-hump Tarik. _

**Lorgar:**_Suffering a good face-palm. _"I remember now why I stopped calling these meetings in the first place. Is it too much to ask for some semblance of sanity while we discuss important matters for the future of chaos as a prominent galactic power?"

**Mortarion:**_Raises an eyebrow. _"Sanity?"

**Lorgar:** "Point"

**Ahriman:** "If anyone's interested, there's an announcement over the warp-web from the current so-called 'elected leader' of the thrall union. It's currently top news on WNN" _[Author's Note: That's Warp News Network, FYI]_

**Lorgar:**_Groaning. _"What's she saying this time?"

_Ahriman gets to his feet and walks over to where several chained psykers moan connected to the floor by a vast array of cables, both metal, flesh, and some of certain unknown material properties (and no one wants to know). A few choice words of power, and the psykers begin to spasms and convulse as energy flows through them. Above their heads the image appears of a annoyingly cute brunette with a smile that either makes you want to dance or punch her in the face, depending on if you're a glass half-full or half-empty kind of person. She begins to talk, to no one in particular, being a pre-recorded address._

**Aerith/Aeris Gainsborough:** "We, the working class of the forty-second millennium, want to see the address of proper legal support for our rights, welfare, and well-being. We want to see support for our children, and for our significant others. We want to see healthcare treatment that includes dental, mental, and free breast enlargement for women suffering from low self-esteem. Free crèches for our children, and retirements homes for our senile parents. We want to see this, and more"

**Mortarion:** "Demanding little bitch, isn't she?" _Lorgar gestures for him to be quiet._

**Aerith/Aeris Gainsborough:** "The current system of servitude is barbaric and inadequate for today's generation. We appeal to the leaders of both the Imperium and the Coalition of Hateful Assholes and Organised Sin to seek to change this for the betterment of all its citizens"

**Lorgar:** "Guess there was **one** plot thread we forgot to erase ..." _Mortarion nods in agreement, while Ahriman looks on suspiciously. _

**Aerith/Aeris Gainsborough:** "We feel trapped, we feel oppressed. And we urge our governments to release us from these metal boxes-"

**Lorgar:** "Oh shi-"

**Firraveus Carron:** _Leaping to his feet. _"METAL BOXES?!? **METAL BOXES!!! THEY RIDE IN METAL BOXES!!!**"

**Lorgar:** "Tarik! Get the squiggoth tranquillizers! NOW!"


	171. Chapter 171

**CHAPTER NINETY ONE (171)**

**"EVEN PRIMARCHS SUFFER EX-GIRLFRIENDS"**

_At the same time that Aerith/Aeris/Dead-Flower-Girl's message is being watched by the assembled representatives of the nine traitor Legions, the Primarch Lion El'jonson ('big pussy cat' in the native language of the former Caliban) and the Inner Circle of the Dark Angels (in other words, the ones with the biggest cloaks, the most face-obscuring hoods, and the paranoid of paranoia) also observe the broadcast._

**Supreme Grand Master Azrael, Chapter Master of the Dark Angels:** _Turning to El'jonson. _"Your girlfriend's just stirred up a lot of shit"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Takes a mental check to avoid grating his teeth in agitation. _"She's not my girlfriend. Though I agree this 'union' issue is most likely going to be a large headache for all of us. Especially if those little runts get any ideas and start demanding pay to carry my helmet around"

_Azrael mutters something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like 'followed __**me**__ around until you showed up', then remembers super-human Primarch hearing and coughs the rest of the sentence into obscurity._ _El'jonson raises an eyebrow and gives his Chapter Master a look that would kill lesser men (after several hours of maintenance and if said lesser man had consumed a large portion of McNids beforehand). _

**Master Interrogator-Chaplain Asmodai:** "I have several ideas, my lord Lion, on how we could … ahem … 'resolve' this situation"

**Grand Master Sapphon: **_Sighing. _"Stop using your fingers to mimic quotation marks in your speech, Asmodai. It somewhat ruins the whole 'intimidation' aspect"

**Asmodai:** "I 'apologise', brother-chaplain. Know that I will 'learn' from your 'example'"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Quiet you two; some of us are trying to focus on the plot. Has Terra made any statement yet concerning this recent development?"

**Chief Librarian Ezekiel:** "If they have, no one has contacted me yet over the warp-net about it. I've got half my mind focused on WNN news while the other half's trawling through a popular image board for any whispers"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Any luck?"

**Ezekiel:** _Shakes his head. _"Although you should have a word with your brother, lord Manus. What he just posted on the board is foul beyond words. Amusing … but quite foul"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Grimaces. _"Don't tell me. If you need any brain bleach I've got plenty at hand. I made the mistake once of accepting Ferrus' offer of him showing me his image folder, accumulated from his many travels through the Internet" _Shudders. _"Never again. To this day I have no idea what that girl was doing with that squig, and I **still** don't want to know"

**Ezekiel:** "Oh, that would most likely be squig-chan … and the fact I know that is quite embarrassing"

**Belial, Master of the Deathwing:** "You need to get out more Ezzie"

**Ezekiel:** "I've asked you many times not to call me that, Belial. Need I remind you my name already sounds dangerously close to the given name of a certain despoiler of worlds?"

**Belial:** "What? Ezekyle Abaddon?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Ezekyle Joshua Susan Elizabeth Margaret Dixon-Cuthbert Alexandra Abaddon" _Notices the glances of all assembled. _"Don't ask me how I know that"

**Azrael:** "We won't. To address a more important subject; what if the media traces the current union president to our chapter? Concerning her previous … ahem … 'exploits' (sorry Sapphon) involving our lord Primarch-"

**Asmodai:** "Especially that incident with my interrogation tools, a watcher, and copious amounts of whipped cream ..."

**Azrael:** "-ah, yes. Thank you for reminding us all about that little incident, especially our lord Primarch, who I suspect is about to hit you with Sammael's jetbike"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Acting innocent as he holds the giant and ancient jetbike above his head in a threatening manner. _"What? This thing? I was just admiring it"

**Azrael:** "Yes, well please put it down, my lord. Sammael's about to burst into tears. If we can avoid seeing a grown space marine cry, I might be able to leave this meeting with some sense of accomplishment. It would make a nice change to the usual climate of having wasted the Inner Circle's valuable time"

**Lion El'jonson:** "My apologies. I realise watching porn on the warp-net is a valuable use of your time. Especially when Ezekiel can project it in high-definition quality"

**Ezekiel:** "Please don't remind me ..."

**Azrael:** _Throws his hands up in the air. _"Fine! Let me lay it down straight – this chapter will not be connected in any way with this bitch and her insane plans to install a sense of justice and equality in this universe. If you are our Primarch and father, you will denounce you were ever involved with her and condemn this insanity. If you wish to defend her ..." _Azrael's face grows dark. _"Then I'm afraid the consequences will be 'serious' … oh, sorry Sapphon"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Raises an eyebrow. _"Is that a threat?"

**Azrael:** "A statement of truth"

**Asmodai:** _A little confused. _"Really? Because that definitely sounded like a 'threat' to me"

_Azrael sighs, which kind of ruins the heavy atmosphere that accompanied the stare-off between him and El'jonson._

**Lion El'jonson:** "So be it" _His face is unreadable. _"Send this message to the WNN news-teams: the Angels of Death will never accept a fair an just working environment. Send the call for all loyal space marines who still wish to carry the original vision of our immortal Emperor to resist democracy and equality! The Imperium is, was, and will always be a tyrannical and oppressive empire! GRIMDARK will remain! So say I; Lion El'jonson of the Dark Angels!"

_The Dark Angels cheer the stirring words of their Primarch, and Ezekiel quickly relays the communication with the power of his mind across the unfathomable distances of space to the current headquarters of the Warp News Network. Severe bandwidth across the astrotelepathic communications lines results in this getting clogged up behind torrents of the latest series of _Imperial Idol.

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Meanwhile, elsewhere in the galaxy, three of the Lion's brothers prepare themselves for a relaxing vacation away from the hustle and bustle of being the galaxy's heroes and saviours. _

**Vulkan:** _Trying unsuccessfully to fit a heavy flamer into his suitcase. _"Come on, hurry up! Our ride will be here any moment and you guys are still unpacked!"

**Angron:** _Having spent the last five hours deciding which XXX-chucks weapon to take (where 'XXX' is a place holder for a variety of deadly creatures), looks up in indignation. _"Hey. I finished packing ages ago"

**Vulkan:** "Then where's your bags?"

**Angron:** "I travel light. Nothing but the air, the ground, and what nature offers for me. If I'm hungry I'll slaughter and eat the native wildlife. If I'm cold I'll take their fur and wrap myself with it. If I need something to drink I'll drink their blood. There's nothing I would want that nature cannot give to me … with a little violent coercion"

**Vulkan:** _Frowns. _"We're going to Commorragh; there **is no** 'nature' there"

**Angron:** "There's plenty of Eldar there, right?"

**Vulkan:** "I don't think they'd be too impressed with you killing them every time you fancy an elf burger"

**Angron:** "Why not? Doesn't stop them killing each other. Why should they care if I join in with the fun?"

**Vulkan:** "Point" _Finally gets the heavy flamer into his suitcase, and stands back to admire his efforts. _"Right, that's me done. Man; I'm pumped for this. I haven't taken a holiday in millennia. Especially to somewhere outside the Imperium. What is it they say about foreign travel? That it narrows the mind wonderfully?"

**Angron:** _Finally settling for the bloodthirsty-chucks. _"Something like that. You finished Khan?"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**Angron: **"No, I think you should take the power glaive, rather than the power fist. Either that or the power cheese grater, for the amusement value. Apparently they love their humour in the arena. You wouldn't think it to look at them, but those Kabalite Eldar have a wicked sense of humour"

**Vulkan:** "We have noticed" _Hears the honk of a vehicle's horn outside. _"Oh … sounds like our ride. Everyone got everything they need? All been to the toilet? We're not turning around if you've forgotten something ..."

**Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**Angron:** "We're fine James"

**Vulkan:** "Man; don't call me by my first name. It's embarrassing. Right; lets go!"

_Heading outside the five-star hotel they've spent the last few days, mercifully left untouched so far by the invading Tyranids that have already killed most life on the planet and destroyed most of the city. Our heroes discover a raider parked with incubi attendants waiting to load their luggage in the rack underneath. Atop the vehicle sits a disturbingly familiar individual._

**Angron:** "Vect! I didn't expect you'd be picking us up personally!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Grinning in a manner that makes everyone, women, children, men, household pets, etc. all squirm in discomfort. _"I don't normally do this, but you're **very** special guests for this season. As the host, I need to pay special attention to my VIPs. Come up; it's only a short ride to the Port of Lost Souls"

**Angron:** "Only if we could stop for a bite to eat on the way; the kitchen was flooded with Gaunts this morning and there wasn't much left to eat when Vulkan was finished with the promethium"

**Vect:** "We'll fly over the spawning pools and see what the slave hooks catch, eh?"

**Vulkan:** "Well this holiday's off to a flying start. First we find a planet covered in bugs to practice our skills with, now we're being chauffeured in style by the only guy in the universe that makes Ferrus seem normal. Any in-flight entertainment, Vect?"

**Vect:** "Got some freshly captured slave girls"

**Khan:** _penetrating gaze, with a smirk_


	172. Chapter 172

**CHAPTER NINETY TWO (172)**

**"THE SIMPLE SOLUTIONS"**

_Ancient Terra – seat of the Imperial Throne, centre of the Imperium of Man, and number one pilgrim destination since M.31. An endless sea of towering gothic (what else? Not like the Imperium has embraced art deco recently. If it ain't got gargoyles and skulls, it ain't God-Emperor-approved!) structures as far as the eye can sea (except when they're interrupted by the small oceans of car parks to support the bustling tourist trade). The greatest structure of course is the Imperial Palace; a great testament to the ability of man to overcompensate for small genitalia. Covering most of Europe, with the throne room situated over former Nottingham (where else? Of course this does place the throne severely off-centre compared to the general layout of the palace. Wonder why no one thought of blasting through the back way), the Imperial Palace is truly mind-bogglingly large._

_A great example of the sheer scale of the palace can be found with their VIP landing pads. While most buildings have room enough for a Thunderhawk or two, the specialist landing pads of the Imperial Palace have room for a strike cruiser and several armoured regiments. Normally such excessive space would be filled to overflowing (often literally!) with pilgrims, adepts, and other Terrans celebrating the arrival of the greatest Primarchs the Imperium has known. Today, however, they're not celebrating …_

**Horus:** _As rotten food and AOL discs are thrown at him. _"Gods-dammit! I preferred them when they were all zombies!" _Battles through the bodies to the other end of the platform where several Custodes guards keep the entrance NPC-free. _

**Hecate:** "What's got them all riled like this?" _Swats aside a small man who was attempting to peek up her power-armoured skirt. _"Has the latest _Horus Heresy_ book been released then?"

**Horus:** "What? _Tales of Mediocrity_? Not as far as I know- … **gods-dammit that thing was alive!**"

**Sanguinius:** _Flying casually over the heads of the crowd. Being the perfect bishonen stereotype that he is, the women avoid throwing anything at him and the men are too sexually confused to give him a glance. _"What do you mean?"

**Horus:** _Holding up a dead infant, having impaled itself on his spiky armour after being thrown. _"I guess we can describe PRIMARCHS as a **literal dead baby comedy** now … I mean; was that **actually necessary**? Was a tomato too far away to reach madam? Did you have to throw your-" _Checks the baby's gender. _"-son at me?"

**Random Adept #67,678,567:** "It ain't mine! I just gave birth to it! It's a symbol of this oppressive government! This child died for your sins! His blood is on your hands!"

_**Sanguinius:**__ Flying too high to be heard by anyone. "And your armour by the looks of it. Don't worry I've heard decent detergent can get that out. "_

**Horus:** "That makes so much no sense ..." _Throws the kid back. _"YOU PEOPLE ARE ****ED UP!" _Turns to Hecate. _"Can you push harder? I can just about see Rogal on the other side. Wow, those Imperial Fists really do **stand out** beside typical Imperial fashion" _Brown and grey, mostly. _

**Rogal Dorn:** _Battling his way to meet the two Primarchs and their elite bodyguard. _"My brothers! I cannot reach you! You must retreat to the safety of the Thunderhawk else drown in a sea of rotten fruit and unwanted pregnancies!"

**Hecate:** "As a woman I take offence to the abortion jokes flying around here. This is clearly the result of the chapter being written by a male chauvinist with little respect for women and our great gift of giving life to-" _Oh shut up woman!_

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** _Leaning close to Horus so he can be heard over the endless shouting and protesting (with so many voices what they're exactly protesting __**about**__ is being somewhat lost). _"If I may suggest, my lord? When you were taken ill on Davin after an unfortunate encounter with a thinly-disguised Plot Device we encountered a similar problem on the landing bay of our vessel"

**Horus:** "How did you solve it? I remember being mercifully unconscious at the time, and when I awoke author-guided Character Assassination meant **someone else** was in control for a while after that"

**Abaddon:** "We did this, my lord" _Spins his power mace around and begins swinging it violently. Innocent civilians fall in gory mess around the bodyguard as they follow Abaddon's example. _

_Horus stands amazed, then realises an open (if a little bloody) corridor is being opened for him. Shrugging, he follows, stepping on the mutilated bodies with sickening crunches as bones and organs snap beneath his weight. Hecate stands appalled, then lifts her skirt and follows them with her Cheerleader bodyguard. _

**Rogal Dorn:** _As Abaddon and his fellow Black Legionnairs reach the Imperial Fists. _"I was hoping you wouldn't do that, Ezekyle. Do you realise how long it takes to replace such valued Adepts?"

**Abaddon:** "About the same time it takes to replace GW redshirts?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Opens his mouth to reply, then closes it to think for a moment. Eventually:_"Whatever. Now you're here you might as well follow me into the Palace. Luckily Ezekyle's barbaric stunt as stunned the crowd into silence for the moment, and I can now finally hear myself think:"

_**Rogal Dorn's Thoughts: **__"Which is refreshing, as I now no longer need listen to these fools. Ah, Ezekyle's opening his mouth to say something witty and sarcastic again … just smile and nod. That's it. Very diplomatic. He'll probably feel smug for the next five minutes before the need to make another comment arises. Oh, Horus is saying something. Well he's wearing that arrogant smile of his, so just smile and nod as well. How the hell is he still alive anyway? Didn't dad kill him utterly throughout space and time? Didn't he use _balefire_ or something? Must ask for money back from _Rand Enterprises _sometime soon. Ah, Hecate is saying something now. Wow, she's so hot in that outfit. I'm not __**really**__ related to her, am I? I mean dad made us from different genetic stock right? It's like step-siblings. She won't understand. Crap; did she see me staring? Must make a dull comment to make her think I wasn't checking her out"_

**Rogal Dorn:** "If you're all quite finished wasting time. Let us move" _Turning around and leading the way._

_**Rogal Dorn's Thoughts:**__ "Smoothly played. Everyone will think you're the typical dull do-gooder with absolutely no incestuous sexual thoughts towards your only sister"_

_Coincidently, right at that moment …_

_**Sanguinius' Thoughts:**__ "Excellent. Dorn took all the attention away from me with that boring, monotonous voice of his. No one noticed me checking out an excellent top-down view of my sister's cleavage"_

**Horus:** _As they enter the Imperial Palace and leave the blood-soaked landing pad behind them. _"So what's this all about? What's got everyone so worked up? Is it me?"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Without breaking stride. _"Oddly enough, no. This is entirely unrelated to you or the recent announcement dad made to replace the statues of both you and your fellow … ahem … 'brothers in chaos' in the plaza with the rest of us"

**Horus:** _Face brightens up and he slaps Dorn on the shoulder with delight. _"They're giving me my statue back? I **loved** that statue!"

**Hecate:** "So did my Legion, and every woman on Terra. If I remember correctly there was a large amount of warp-net discussion over the validity of the artist's claim that it was 'anatomically correct'"

**Sanguinius:** "Yes, well why Horus' visage generated such discussion and the rest of us did not is beyond me. We all were given the 'natural' look for our Crowning Statues of Awesome, including you, sister, before the censors ordered it pulled down. Attracting every sexually frustrated male teen on Terra probably didn't help. The cleaning bill was astronomical ..."

**Rogal Dorn: **"Yes, and enough of that, thank you. To answer your original question, Horus, it seems that Susan's old girlfriend is making an impression on a galactic scale"

**Horus:** _Frowns in confusion. _"Who's Susan?"

**Hecate:** "Lion El'jonson. Dad named him after an ex-girlfriend that El'jonson apparently reminded him of"

**Horus:** "Well the Lion does look like a complete girl ..." _Turns to Rogal Dorn. _"So what has the Dead Flower Girl done this time? Declared National Moogle Week? Ordered El'jonson to build her an intergalactic flower delivery service? Found a way to return to her own damn universe and leave us alone in our GRIMDARK?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "She's declared herself President of the Galactic Union"

**Sanguinius:** _Laughs. _"What? Lead the people united to stand up for their rights? What does she hope to achieve? A quick Exterminatus? A one-way trip to the darkest reaches of the Empyrean? Shoved through the Gates of Varl faster than you can say 'Fish of Time'? Have Ferrus retrieve Alan Merrett's laptop from wherever he's lost it today and delete her from existence?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "She wants fair pay and decent healthcare"

_There is horrified silence as all contemplate this most horrifying of subjects, then:_

**Horus:** "Wait a second. We don't get paid or a decent healthcare package, and we're **freaking PRIMARCHS!!!**"

**Hecate:** _Shrugging, nonchalantly. _"Life's a bitch, I guess"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Sighing. _"You have no idea ..." _Notices them looking at him with curious expressions, Sanguinius in particular. _"Ahem … I mean … yes sister; very wisely said"

_**Rogal Dorn's Thoughts:**__ "SHIT!"_


	173. Chapter 173

**CHAPTER NINETY THREE (173)**

**"THIS QUALIFIES AS FILLER"**

_As has been said many, many, many (to the point of irritation and outright insanity) times before the Imperial Palace is a somewhat large structure. Entire civilisations have risen and fallen within its labyrinthine corridors and gargantuan rooms. One such civilisation is the countless millions entrusted by the Immortal Emperor of Mankind with cleaning his armour, dishes, cutlery, weaponry, rooms, clothes, and underwear (a duty which has resulted in an extremely vicious and back-stabbing culture amongst the few women (and the occasional man) entrusted to this most sacred of tasks. It seems there is great desire amongst the women of Terra to be close to fabrics that have been close to … __**certain parts **__of the Emperor. I'll say no more …). _

_A downside of this is the long travel times between different parts of the Palace. An internal public transport system does help, piloted by illegal squat immigrants, but it still provides me, the narrator, with a large amount of time I must skip in order to maintain a sensible flow of narrative. So, for this time only, I'll ignore that and provide you, the reader, with an uncensored view of a typical between-scene slice of action (or lack of it, as the case may be). _

_As the transport quickly moves along the magnetic rails from the landing pad (where a division of the obscenely large janitor department of the Palace is now mopping up the remains of the former protesters), our heroes find themselves filling in the silence with conversation. Either that or listen to the incredibly irritating music someone has chosen to play continuously in the background (similar to GW store CDs, but a thousand times more annoying). _

**Hecate:** _Sitting sensibly on the uncomfortable seats of the transport with her legs crossed. _"So … how are you Rogal?"

**Rogal:** _Suddenly stirred out of an inner monologue to reality. _"Oh … I'm quite well, my sister. Thank you for inquiring. Times are hard on the people of Terra; we've had to bump up taxes quite significantly to pay for the damages caused during the last significant story arc. Thankfully it seems we won't need to also repair the rather **significant** damages wrought to the planet during the arc-that-shall-not-be-mentioned"

**Horus:** _Reading the first volume of _Death Note_ (five pages in and already thoroughly confused. Probably because he's been reading left-right and has therefore started at the end and is working backwards). _"Haven't you, by mentioning the arc that-shall-not-be-mentioned, you just, in fact, mentioned the arc-that-shall-not-be-mentioned?"

**Sanguinius:** "Stop trying to be clever, Horus. It doesn't work"

**Hecate:** "What happened? You two used to be the best of friends! Now look at you two bickering like orc boyz fighting over a new stompa" _[Author's Note: Available soon from your local GW … oh, sorry]_

**Sanguinius:** _Stares at her in amazement. _"Erm … he **killed me** … death by strangulation, with **a lighting claw**. That's not even **physically possible**! The sheer stupidity of the death scenario serves only to enrage me further! The whole thing is illogical and only exists to make me some kind of Jesus-like martyr. Which sucks. I wanted to be the Primarch everyone prays to when they want to get laid, not when they want to get their asses out of some sticky situation and want me to take the fall for it"

**Horus:** "Oh boo-hoo. Cry me a river. You're just really pissed because your Legion **has never got **a decent army list. It's either insanely broken or a half-assed attempt"

**Sanguinius:** "At least it's free, and at least I **have** one"

**Horus:** "Hey; regardless of what you can use to describe the latest CSM 'dex, you have to admit the **only** legion it can do is **mine**. So **shut it you bloody fairy**!"

_There's a scraping sound as both Primarchs rise simultaneously to their feet, and Hecate places her obscenely large sword between them (not entirely sure how she got it into the transport, now I think about it …). _

**Hecate:** "Will you two **stop it! **You're both acting like children!"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** _Lounging with a bored expression on his face. _"I thought that was the general **point** of you guys? To be super-human, genetically engineered, gods-amongst-men **children**? How best to appeal to little Timmy who wants to collect Ultramarines? Do you think he's going to associate with genuine competent military leaders and masters of the Xanatos Gambits necessary to defeat the myriad enemies of mankind and conquer the universe? Of course not. He's going to identify with people his mental age, of course"

_Silence._

**Horus:** _Frowning in confusion._ "Are you calling us stupid?"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** _Sighing, leans back and resumes reading the complete _Sword of Truth_ on handy data-slate (otherwise that would be a rather large book to carry with you). _"Of course not, my lord. That would be blasphemy, wouldn't it?"

**Horus:** "Of course" _Eyes Abaddon suspiciously. Then resumes his reading, after throwing Sanguinius a look that would destroy worlds … if that was physically possible (and no, being a Primarch __**isn't**__ an excuse to screw the laws of physics). _

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "By the way; you're reading that the wrong way"

**Hecate:** "Right-to-left" _She mimes holding the book and turning the pages the opposite way to conventional western wisdom (and language structure). _

**Horus:** _Looks at the book in confusion._ "What the hell? Why do it that way? You're reading it in the complete opposite direction to the way the language works"

**Hecate:** "It's translated from Japanese, dear. It works differently to conventional High Gothic"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** _Leans over and knocks on the thin window separating the passenger compartment to the driver's compartment. _"Hey? How much longer to I have to suffer here?"

_The window opens and a short, squat, bearded face pokes through and frowns at Abaddon._

**Squat Driver:** "Until we get there. Now shut up and let me drive!"

**Ezekyle Abaddon:** "Firstly, the train follows an automated route guided by the on-board machine spirit. Therefore it needs no driver. Secondly, I'm the **gods-damned Despoiler of Worlds!** Don't **ever** talk to me like that again!"

_One justified use of Drach'nyen later, Abaddon sits quietly reading his data-slate while his sword cleans herself of abhuman blood. In the ensuring silence following Horus and Sanguinius' combined outburst, nothing much is said, so once again shall we dive into the mindset of one of the characters. How about Horus?_

_**Horus' Thoughts:**__ "Right-to-left, right-to-left … why the hell am I doing this? What's this story about anyway? A book? Some clown with an emo look? Why are people dying? Why is he writing their names down? Who the hell is this kid anyway? Why do they all talk so much? Where's the violence, the action? Dammit! This book is both boring __**and**__ confusing at the same time! Maybe I should read something from the Black Library instead, at least I can understand __**them**__ ..."_

_Or perhaps Hecate?_

_**Hecate's Thoughts: **__"Imperial Truth-dammit! Why am I always stuck with those ****ing idiots? I should be out there kicking alien ass, and instead I'm stuck here babysitting my moronic brothers as they stumble from one sentence to another! Sometimes I wonder if I didn't absorb twenty siblings worth of brain cells when we were flung into the Warp … sometimes I think I'm the only Truth-damned intelligent individual in this damn strip ..."_

_Or Sanguinius?_

_**Sanguinius' Thoughts:**__ "I'm so gorgeous. My sister's gorgeous too. We should make out. It will be so beautiful that will __**totally**__ cover up the whole 'wrongness' of it. What am I worried about? The people __**love**__ me! Men want to __**be**__ me, and women wet their adept robes at the __**thought**__ of me! Anything I do is acceptable … __**anything!**__ I could kill kittens and they'll adore me for it … hey … that actually sounds like a laugh … now where could I find a kitten around here?"_

_Abaddon?_

_**Abaddon's Thoughts:**__ "Hmm … this Richard dude seems to be on to something with this 'moral clarity' stance. Look at the way he slaughters evil pacifists with his loyal legions, and his chick __**still**__ wants to bang him. Take notes, Ezekyle, take notes ..."_

**Horus:** "Are we there yet?"

**All:** "SHUT UP!"

_Now, this is why I don't normally let you see these dull moments of PRIMARCHS life … the plot will recommence when the transport arrives at the station. Just in time for next chapter!_

_**Rogal Dorn's Thoughts:**__ "Convenient"_

_Quiet you._


	174. Chapter 174

**CHAPTER NINETY FOUR (174)**

**"VIVA LA REVOLUTION!"**

_And so we resume where we left off …_

_As the transport arrives at its destination, our heroes are eager to leave the confines and progress with the story. So eager, in fact, they use Horus to open the doors before the electric motors had a chance. As the great Warmaster tries to pick himself up from the floor with some semblance of dignity, his sister proceeds to walk over his back, making sure the adamantium heels on her shoes dig into all the tender spots._

**Hecate:** _Absolutely furious. _"I can't **believe** you said that! How **dare** you! What gives you the **right?** I've **never **been so **embarrassed!**" _With a cliché toss of her head, she moves on to greet her father. _

_The EMPEROR OF MANKIND! welcomes his only daughter (correction: only __**genetically-engineered**__ daughter. He's got plenty of others conceived the normal way) with a bemused smile on his face._

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Welcome back. I see Horus is as apt at making entrances as he always has been. Looking disturbingly attractive, Sanguinius. I thought I told you about that? Stop making me want to sleep with you!"

**Sanguinius:** _Pauses as he walks forward to embrace his father. _"That's … somewhat disturbing and highly uncomfortable. Thanks … dad"

**Hecate:** _Finally having a chance to observe her surroundings. _"Dad, this place is a **state**!" _And indeed, she is quite correct. The 'social entertaining room' of the Imperial Palace, large enough to harbour a football pitch or two, is cluttered with towers of dirty laundry that almost reach the ceiling. _

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Ah, yes. Well … you see … I've been having some trouble with the cleaning adepts. They're on strike, it seems"

**Rogal Dorn:** "A **strike?!?** Servants of the Imperium do not go **on strike!!!**"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"Now they do. I'm not sure what went wrong; I stood before them and delivered an awesome speech (which I wrote myself, so it's practically **grade-A awesome on paper**) and stood there in a pose scientifically studied to produce maximum amounts of win … and they just continued to throw rotten fruit and babies at me. I don't understand. Normally people just follow what I say without question"

**Horus:** "Perhaps they're finally seeing you for the egotistical, xenophobic, megalomaniac that you are"

**Rogal Dorn:** "And we were going to throw you a party … nice job offending the host, hero"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Feeling dejected, settles down on a small pile of dirty underwear. _"Maybe Horus is right … perhaps my unexplained aura of devotion has failed me. People no longer follow me because I have an awesome name and shiny armour ..."

**Horus:** "Try leading through proper social skills and leadership values"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Frowns._ "What are they?"

_Horus throws his hands up in the air and despairs. _

**Sanguinius:** _Places a reassuring hand on his father's shoulder. _"Relax. Let me address the people. Once they have glimpsed my alluring and androgynous looks they will **totally** be under my spell. They shall listen to whatever I ask and follow such requests without hesitation"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Not convinced. _"By all means. Have a go"

**Sanguinius:** "Watch this stunning display of magnificence!" _Begins to stride off._

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Points in opposite direction._"Balcony's that way"

**Sanguinius:** _Striding past. _"I knew that" _Flings open the great doors leading to the even greater balcony, approaches the edges, and hopes onto the stone to balance precariously above a thousand foot drop. Spreading his arms (and wings) wide open: _"**CITZENS OF THE IMPERIUM! **LISTEN TO ME!"

**The Mob:** "WHY?!?"

**Sanguinius:** "FOR I AM SANGUINIUS! PRIMARCH OF THE BLOOD ANGELS LEGION ASTARTES!"

**The Mob:** "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK WE GIVE A DAMN?!?"

**Sanguinius:** _Pauses in shock. _"Er … DID YOU HEAR ME DOWN THERE? I SAID I'M **SANGUINIUS**. AS IN THE **PRIMARCH** OF THE **BLOOD ANGELS**!"

**The Mob:** "WE HEARD YOU, AND WE STILL DON'T CARE!"

**Sanguinius:** "Oh … sorry to bother you then" _Wanders back inside and approaches the others in complete shock. _"They aren't blinded by my beauty any more. In fact, they didn't seem to care much about my looks or who I was. What's **happened** to the citizens of the Imperium?"

**Hecate:** "They don't seem to be mindless sheep any more. They seem to be dangerously thinking about their own lives, for a change. This is what we've spent millennia trying to prevent"

**Rogal Dorn:**_ Unnecessarily melodramatic. _"This could be a greater threat to the Imperium than the machinations of the Plot Hole ..."

**Hecate:** "That didn't happen, Rog"

**Sanguinius:** "Screw this! I'm the **bloody Sanguinius**! Men want to be me! Women want to sleep with me! Men do as well! And children (although I turn them down on the principle I'm **not** Vect … yet, at any rate)" _Storms off in the direction of the balcony yet again. _

**Hecate:** _Worried. _"Quick! Follow him; he's going to do something stupid … again"

**Horus:** "Impressively enough, this time it doesn't involve me ..."

_The run after Sanguinius, and catch up with the feathery pansy as he addresses the crowds of Terra again for the second time that day._

**Sanguinius:** "PEOPLE OF TERRA! LISTEN TO YOUR NARRATIVE SUPERIOR! GET BACK TO WORK AND STOP IT WITH THIS 'UNION' CRAP! YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS! YOU HAVE NO ENTITLEMENT TO DECENT PAY! THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU LIVE YOUR PITIFUL LIVES IN SERVITUDE TO THE IMMORTAL EMPEROR IS REWARD ENOUGH!"

**The Mob:** "LIKE HELL IT IS!" _The barrage of rotten fruit and unwanted babies begins anew. They're surprisingly accurate considering they're a thousand feet below …_

**Sanguinius:** _Dodging the missiles. _"WAIT! STOP THIS MADNESS!"

**The Mob:** "MADNESS?!? **THIS … IS … REBELLION!**"

**Hecate:** "If we could get through the day without **someone** referencing _300_ I will die a happy girl … wait – **rebellion?!?** This is **heresy!!!**"

**Rogal Dorn:** "I shall have my chapter defend the palace, my Emperor. We shall not let these heretics despoil our holy soil!"

**Horus:** "Nice to see that in times of need you Imperials fall back on your safe religious stoicism. What happened to the compassionate understanding of the Imperial Truth?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "We're trying to forget it. Doesn't help that they keep mentioning it ever _Horus Heresy_book. Bottom line is we can't allow our populace to grow lax and think they can incite dispute without consequence. My sons shall spray them with holy bolter shells. TO SLAY IS TO PRAY! SONS OF DORN; FOLLOW ME!"

**Imperial Fist Terminators:** _Having followed the proceedings in both verbal and narrative silence. _"TO SLAY IS TO PRAY!" _They follow Dorn from the room._

**Hecate:** "I really wish they wouldn't say that. Sounds like something written on the back of a Christmas cracker … are you going to join him Sanguinius?" _She asks, seeing the Primarch begin to fly off._

**Sanguinius:** _Stops, then turns around to face her. _"Oh good heavens no. Not covered in fruit and baby blood. I'll go change first, and get myself cleaned up. **Then** I'll slaughter these heathens" _With that said, he does exactly that._

**Hecate:** _Sighing._ "Are you going to join in with the 'crowd suppression', Horus?"

**Horus:** _Shakes his head._ "I may be a twisted follower of Chaos, but I have **some** standards. I don't kill unarmed servants. I **could** kill a steak, however. Where's the kitchen in this place?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Jerks his thumb over his shoulder. _"Five miles that way"

**Horus:** "Oh for the love of-!"


	175. Chapter 175

**CHAPTER NINETY FIVE (175)**

**"YOU'VE GOT THE ..."**

_**Tzeentch:**__ "All possibilities are equally valid, and all validity are equally possible. What has happened, will happen, and is happening. What will happen, has happened, and is also happening. As I speak an unverifiable quantity of equally possible circumstances exist in parallel to each other, occurring simultaneously in accordance to laws unspoken since the dawn of time. Time itself is circular, with no beginning or end. What is, will be, and was. As I eat this bagel, I have already eaten the bagel, and I will eat the bagel at some point in the unverifiable future-"_

**Slaanesh:** "Oh for ****'s sake eat your damn lunch and stop philosophising!" _CRUNCH_

**Tzeentch:** _Slightly put-off in the middle of her inner monologue throws Slaanesh a dirty look (which isn't quite as dirty as what Slaanesh is currently doing) then chomps down on her tasty raspberry-chocolate-peanut-tuna-ham-processed squig-unverifiable contents-with-mayonnaise bagel. _"Just because you get lost half-way through ..."

**Slaanesh:** _Doing some comping herself … although not through the mouth. _"I don't get lost **half-way**; I get lost when you open that damn mouth of yours and unintelligible gibberish starts spewing forth in greater quantities than an-"

**Falal:** _Perusing several different RPG game system supplements simultaneously._"I'll stop you there before you utter some lewd euphemism that lands this chapter in trouble with Lorgar's thought police"

**Slaanesh:** "As if I'm scared of him … anyway where's your boyfriend gone?"

**Falal:** "He's attending a FEAR meeting in another dimension. Copyright infringement prevents me from contacting him, so I'm not sure when he'll get back" _She looks up from reading and grins._"Why? Missing him?"

**Slaanesh:** _Scoffs. _"As if. It's far more entertaining watching you put the moves on him only to get rebuffed by his sheer idiocy"

**Falal:** _Bristles._"He's not an **idiot** he's **naïve**, and I think that's **cute**"

**Tzeentch:** "What's this FEAR standing for anyway? Assuming, of course, it is some lame acronym for some equally lame society … like DAMNATION ..."

**Falal:** "Freeing Excellence Affects Reality, I believe …"

**Slaanesh: **_Confused. _"Really? I thought it was Final Eternity Arouses Reactions?" _CHOMP_

**Falal:** "Fantastic Expectations and Amazing Revelations?"

**Tzeentch:** "Regardless, what's with this sudden interest in **going outside**? It's not like Magnus to acknowledge the existence of a world beyond D20 rolls ..."

**Falal:** _Frowns. _"He's up to something. Or at least has something on his mind. I'm not sure, but the two usually accompany each other … he's been acting funny ever since that Aeris girl made her announcement on the Warp-net about trade unions and such …" _She looks up, horrified. _"Do you think he's found someone else?"

**Slaanesh:** "I doubt it. Magnus has the social skills of a brain-damaged Ork on drugs. He probably still thinks flirting is a type of combat manoeuvre"

**Falal:** _Annoyed._"I think that's adorable" _Frowns. _"Perhaps it means For Everything A Reason? Maybe he's found a new meaning to life … you don't think he's joined a new religion?"

**Tzeentch:** _Growls._ "He'd better not. I don't offer a contractual service; you're with me for life! There's no 'other alternatives' to even **contemplate** … or I'll spawn your sorry ass"

**Slaanesh:** "Hmm … For Everyman A Religion?"

**Khorne:** _Bursting through the doors carrying the heads of the recently slain. _"Fallen Empires Are Ruling!!!"

**Falal:** "And hello to you too. I see 'knocking' is still a skill yet unlearnt for you … what **are** you carrying?"

**Khorne:** "Oh this?" _He holds up the severed heads._ "Just a little something for my own amusement. My trophy rack was looking a little politically incorrect, so I went out and got myself some ethnically diverse trophies. It keeps Lorgar and his little cronies off my back for a while ..."

**Falal:** "How considerate … that'll look good on the appraisal come end of this millennia ..."

_CRUNCH_

**Tzeentch:** "Who's writing it this time?"

**Slaanesh:** "Zuvassin"

**Tzeentch:** _Makes a face. Not that you can see it under her hood._"That's going to be fun"

**Slaanesh:** "At least it's not Nicoho again. You all know how that went ..."

**Falal:** "Yes, that **was** amusing ..."

**Tzeentch:** "Ah! Free Expression As Revolution! He's becoming pro-activist in his old age"

**Falal:** "He's not **that** old!"

**Slaanesh:** "You're right. He's barely over ten thousand years. Practically makes you a paedophile"

**Falal:** "Quiet you"

_CHOMP_

_The doors burst open again, and Magnus the Red strides through with intent and purpose. _

**Magnus:** "Gods of the Empyrean! I bring news to you all!"

**Slaanesh:** "You've finally learnt what sex is?"

**Falal:** "Slaanesh!"

**Magnus:** _Turning a deeper shade of red in embarrassment. _"Erm, not quite. I'm leading an assault on Fenris. I've been attending several inspirational meetings recently, and my eyes have been opened to the injustice psykers face in an increasingly anti-psychic world. I mean, how long has it been since we last enjoyed a good Psychic Phase on the battlefield? Its departure is a fantastic example of the prejudice my kind suffers, and it ends now! I'm rallying my sons to war, and I seek your blessings, my gods" _He bows formally._

_Silence._

**Khorne:** "Whatever. Go kick ass"

**Tzeentch:** _Waves a hand in casual dismissal._"Whatever makes you happy"

**Falal:** _Frowning._ "This is unusually pro-active of you, Magus. What are these FEAR meetings you've been attending to recently?"

**Magnus:** _Picking himself up from the floor. _"Friends to Execute Alma's Revenge. It's a pro-active society heavily against discrimination of psykers, psychics, scanners, telesthetics, whatever-you-want-to-call-them. Our mission goal is to make all non-psychis pay … **pay for their bigotry and prejudice! THEY WILL PAY WITH THEIR LIVES! THEIR LIVES!!**" _Begins to cackle maniacally._

**Falal:** _Smiling. _"It's so nice to see you taking a healthy interest in social activities" _CRUNCH_"And for our sake's Slaanesh! Eat with your vagina closed!"


	176. Chapter 176

**CHAPTER NINETY SIX (176)**

**"THE PLOT THICKENS"**

_Deep in the twisting nether of the Maelstrom, worlds devoid of contact with the Imperium of thousands of years enjoy their blissful ignorance of the _Warhammer 40,000 _background fiction, while those serving as bases for the many Chaos forces calling the Maelstrom home enjoy … other benefits. Like decent healthcare coverage (daemonic blessings!) and a reliable pension plan (spawndom!) with career reward schemes (Daemonic princedom!). Indeed, it could be said that in the nightmare future of the 40 'verse, those worlds given over to the diabolic forces of Chaos are the most civilised of planets. At least Chaos Lords are honest with your work performances …_

**Lufgt Huron:** _Letting the remains of a former lieutenant fall, still smouldering, to the floor in front of him. _"Consider that your appraisal"

**Aerith/Aeris Gainsborough:** "That's a little harsh, isn't it?"

**Lufgt Huron:** "What? I gave him plenty of warning!"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "I thought you were **joking** when you said you'll burn him alive if he failed to meet his minimum quota for new union applications"

**Lufgt Huron:** "Why doesn't anyone ever take me seriously around here? It's that damn 'big guns' quote isn't it? I was being **serious** when I said that, you know?"

**Aerith/Aeris:** _Shrugs. _"Hey, I don't play the game, so why do you expect me to know the background, **especially** fictional quotations" _Hands him several data-crystals. _"Anyway, here's the latest income reports for the union. Those new worlds your boys are bringing in are adding some much needed fuel to the fire … and our bank accounts, it should be mentioned"

**Lufgt Huron:** "Profit makes the galaxy spin, Aerith. Never forget that"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "So … **not** the super-massive black hole at its centre?"

**Lufgt Huron:** "Stop inserting physics into this, **especially** considering the nature of **your** universe, with your gravity-defying friends and their gravity-defying **hair styles**"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Our hair doesn't defy gravity!"

**Lufgt Huron:** "She says with **that fringe**" _He points at her hair. Google-search an image if you're interested. _"You could get a +1 Attack bonus from that thing!"

**Aerith/Aeris: **_Trying to smooth down her arching fringe. _"It's not that bad. Anyway; your reports are encouraging. It seems our philosophy is being embraced by the peoples of this universe with open arms"

**Lufgt Huron:** _coughs "********" /coughs_

**Aerith/Aeris:** "What was that?"

**Lufgt Huron:** "Oh nothing. I best be off. Galactic pirate lord supreme, and all that" _Slowly backs away, then quickly exits the room. _

**Aerith/Aeris:** _Watching Huron leave. _"What a strange man" _Turns back to the mammoth piles of paperwork a galactic union tends to generate. _"You can come out of hiding now"

**Gabriel Angelos:** _Leaving the shadows with a surprisingly large amount of menace. _"How do you like that entrance? Wasn't it **awesome?** Like our new **graphics engine**. That's **awesome** too. See how crystal clear reality has suddenly become? That's **GeForce 9800 X-Treme Edition With Ultra-Bloom** for you!"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "No … I think that's just the photons bouncing around"

**Gabriel Angelos:** "Quiet! I'm not orchestrating this unnecessarily complex scheme just to have you bounce physics at me all the time. Everyone knows physics is overrated … unless it's **Havoc ULTIMATE** (you've got the spell the 'ultimate' in all-capitals, because it's BETTER THAN REALITY!)"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "What is all this for, anyway? I've been following your plans for a while now, and it only occurs to me now (quite conveniently, as it's my scene) that I've no idea what you're planning"

**Gabriel Angelos:** "Oh no. I've watched too many bad films to know that you never reveal your **true** plan until the end, right before the villain"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Forty minutes **after** implementing it?"

**Gabriel Angelos:** "What? No! That's just being a spoil-sport"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Yeah … I can see I'll be needing to deal with you soon ..."

**Gabriel Angelos:** "What?"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Oh, nothing" _Leans over and presses her intercommunication thrall to the 'reception' state of mind. _"Who's next?"

**Receptionist:** _Speaking through the thrall's mouth. _"Your boyfriend"

**Aerith/Aeris:** _Sighing. _"Oh dear … OK; send him in" _As the doors open and Lion El'jonson strides through with a Rock-sized amount of __**purpose**__. _"Hey dear. What can I do for you?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Don't 'hey dear' me. What's this I hear of you establishing trade unions and spreading such heresies as 'rights of the working class' to the innocent civilians of the Imperium! We don't need that old-age crap in our empire! The Imperium is founded on blood, sweat, tears, and more blood (preferably of the xenos variety), **not** 'equal rights and fair treatment'"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Now that's no excuse. I don't see why we can't all work together for a future filled with love, hope, and spiky hairstyles"

**Lion El'jonson:** "What? Like one of your crappy worlds? I've played enough Square-Enix games to know the type of 'gaia love'-spouting crap you usually dish out"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Don't you insult Gaia!"

**Lion El'jonson:** "I will say whatever I like! In case it escaped your notice; I'm a Primarch! I have narrative authority to speak and be obeyed! The powers of Marty Stu-ness flow through me! Witness the plot bend to accommodate my mighty will!"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Yeah … see this is **why** we don't have sex any more. You're too egotistical in **everything** you do. Normally I would just blame you, but I've seen your family – **they're all like that!** Who the hell would create twenty-one genetically engineered **arrogant super-humans**?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "That'll be the Emperor of Mankind; possibly the largest Black Hole Sue in modern fiction. Honestly, if you think **I'm** arrogant, you **haven't** met my father … or adoptive father, seeing as a bunch of **stem cells** are my 'true'fathers … or mothers … it's a little confusing. I suppose that's why I have trouble identifying myself … I have no true father figure in my life"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Want to talk about it?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Only if we get to indulge ourselves in a good old-fashioned Battle Therapy. I'm a man, and more importantly a Primarch. I don't do the whole 'talking about it' shtick unless I get to beat someone up"

**Aerith/Aeris:** _Acts all innocent. _"Even a defenceless little girl?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "Don't play games. I've seen your character tab; you're maximum level with all characteristics maxed-out, and **don't** get me started on what you're carrying with you. **How many** **times** can you cast _Knights of the Round_ with that materia combination?"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "Eighty-seven, with a ten percent chance to mimic the whole round again"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Unsheathe sword. _"CRRRRAAAAWWWLLLINGGG INNNN MAAA SKIIIINNNNN!!!!"

**Aerith/Aeris:** "What did you say?"

**Lion El'jonson:** "That was the sword. Ignore it. Now lets discuss our issues in true 40K fashion!"

Aerith/Aeris casts Great Gospel on herself.

**Lion El'jonson:** "Truth-dammit! This is **not** a good start!"


	177. Chapter 177

**CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN (177)**

**"ELDAR TEA PARTY PART I"**

_Space is big. This should not be lost on anyone: both author and reader alike. Space is __**really, really**__ big. Bigger than anything you could possibly imagine, then add some. Space is vast amounts of giant spaces of absolutely nothing … with the occasional planet or star. As an example; take the average football (or soccer, if you're under the delusion that __**foot**__ball somehow involves picking a completely non-spherical object and running with it __**in your hands**__) and place a dozen ants around the place. That'll be the best analogy for the comparative space between stars __**in a close-nit cluster.**_

_Why am I making this point? Because when I say that we resume our attention towards the story to find ourselves aboard a craftworld (something large enough to have __**mountain ranges**__ within its 'parks') __**hiding**__ within Imperial space, you can understand that it's far from the strange impossibility you immediately assume. Far from any reliable method of electromagnetic detection, and shielded from telepathic sense by their highly-trained seers, the Eldar exist unnoticed in the heart of enemy territory. _

_A good place to call a meeting, really._

_**Eldrad Ulthran:**__ Via the crystal-communications throughout the craftworld. "Would the seers Yui, Illia, Macha, Duyvia, Kyli, and Taldeer please report to reception immediately? You're late. Not that I haven't already foreseen this occurrence, of course. I'm just saying you better have a damn good excuse. Which I've already foreseen … and they're all shit"_

**Taldeer:** _Approaching the reception desk, behind which a seemingly bored Eldar passes the time on her Nintendo DS (Wraithbone Edition). _"Er … hi. Taldeer'elphchik'phancervis and … 'guest'"

**Receptionist:** _Looking up at Taldeer, spares a glance at Mephiston before returning her gaze to the farseer. _"Your 'guest' is a mon-keigh, mistress farseer"

**Taldeer:** _Feigns surprise. _"Oh really? I honestly didn't notice. And here I thinking he's just an exceptionally large warlock all this time ..." _Plants her hands on her hips and throws the receptionist a look that carries the wisdom, knowledge, and arrogance of one who sees far more of the space-time continuum than any sane individual should. _"Of course he's a human (and I'd like you to use that term and refrain from derogatory racial slurs). I'm fairly certain my reputation for preferring to take humans as lovers has not escaped the notice of this craftworld (Isha knows how far that damn piece of fan fiction has spread …), so there's no need to act surprised" _She regains a regal composure, as the receptionist finds new places in her chair to shrink into. _"Lord Mephiston is with me; I take full responsibilities for his actions, and if his presence is not to the council's liking, then they may discuss so **with me**. Am I clear?"

**Receptionist:** _Terrified. _"Crystal" _Her mouth opens with horror when she realises what she's said. _"Oh, my apologies farseer! That was completely inappropriate of me!"

**Taldeer:** _Sighing. _"Never mind. Just log me as having arrived so I may amuse those already assembled with my presence"

**Mephiston:** _Nervously adjusting the robes he wears._ "Maybe I should have dressed somewhat more inconspicuously"

**Taldeer:** "Mephiston, darling, you're eight feet tall. You **can't** be inconspicuous if you tried, **especially** if you had worn that ridiculous set of armour with the skulls and muscle-designs that you insist on wearing for every battle you're in"

**Mephiston:** "That suit of armour looks cool, and I need to look cool. It gives the young scouts someone to look up to; a paragon of a space marine that all can aspire to be"

**Taldeer:** "Of course, it helps I suppose that you're the only guy who doesn't give a crap about that psychosis your chapter and its successors suffer"

**Mephiston:** "The Red Thirst?" _Leans close. _"Between you and me? Haemoglobin patches – been weaning myself off the blood for a while now. Almost clean"

**Taldeer:** "Impressive. So no dramatic personal revelation while buried under tonnes of rubble?"

**Mephiston:** "No, that was just boring as hell. I passed the time trying to comprehend the plot of _Lost_, which, if you'll excuse the pun, is still lost on me"

**Taldeer:** "I would have watched it, but I scryed to the ending and it sucked, so I didn't bother to start"

**Mephiston:** "Do you do that to all the TV shows you watch … or would have watched?"

**Taldeer:** "Pretty much"

_As they've been discussing relatively inconsequential matters, both Taldeer and Mephiston have approached the Dome of the Crystal Seers, where the meeting is being held amongst the crystallised remains of those who bore the title of farseer in generations past. Somewhat morbid, perhaps, were it not for the fact that said generations past stick around in spirit stones and within the collective consciousness of the Infinity Circuit. It's not hard to not feel guilty about using aunt Mayu's crystallised hand as a drinks holder when she's bitching at you from her spirit stone …_

**Taldeer:** "Ain't that the truth ..."

**Mephiston:** "Sorry?"

**Taldeer:** "Ah, apologies. I was agreeing with the narrator" _She pauses just outside the entrance, ignoring the strange looks the wraithguard standing either side of the door are giving Mephiston (through their emotionless blank 'faces'. It's a skill only dead Eldar possess). _"Now, remember what I told you on the way here?"

**Mephiston:** _Nods, with surprising humility for an Astartes. _"Don't speak when spoken to, acknowledge all with a bow, and Eldrad's a dick. Remember that last one at all times"

**Taldeer:** "Indeed he is. There's a reason why he's lived as long as he has. Remember the old saying 'their arrogance is equalled only by their fire power'? Well Eldrad has arrogance enough to wield it like the fist of an angry god, and I'm Eldar – I **know** what an angry god can do when she sets her mind to something"

**Mephiston:** "Slaa-?" _Notices Taldeer's horrified expression. _"I mean She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

**Taldeer:** "Yes, and **definitely** don't mention her name. **Especially** the other two of the newly declared 'Trinity Of Unholiness'"

**Mephiston:** "Noted. Shall we meet the other guests?"

**Taldeer:** _Nodding she leads the way, opening the doors to be buffeted by the sounds of Eldar politely enjoying each other's company (an indulging themselves on the Path of Social Etiquette). Immediately she's greeted by another farseer, albeit one wearing a dress of Biel-tan's colours._ "Macha! How wonderful to see you again dear"

**Macha:** _Greeting Taldeer with the accepted display as discussed on the Path of Greetings (kiss on both cheeks, right side first, while clasping hands, left over right, if you __**really**__ wanted to know). _"And the same to you. How **are** you? Keeping well since that annoying Plot Hole arc?"

**Mephiston:** _Opens his mouth to ask "What arc?", then remembers he should keep quiet and restrains himself … just._

**Taldeer:** "Somewhat, but I can't complain what the plot throws my way" _Gestures to Mephiston. _"Have you met Mephiston?"

**Macha:** "Only through mention online. He's a lot … **bigger** in real life, isn't he?"

**Mephiston:** _Mentally sighs to himself, feeling like a prized pet being shown off at a competition._

**Taldeer:** "In more ways than none" _She smiles suggestively, then notices Macha's forlorn expression. _"Oh I'm sorry, still not found anyone?"

**Macha:** "Unfortunately not. Only thing that's been between my legs so far this millennia has been wraithbone-powered ..."

**Mephiston:** _Feeling both distinctively uncomfortable, and strangely interested. _

**Eldrad:** _Walking up to the group. _"Taldeer … Mephiston. So glad you both could join us here" _Looks up at Mephiston. _"Heard about Terra?"

**Mephiston:** _Frowning. _"What about Terra?"

**Eldrad:** _Smiling smugly, holds up a small crystal imaging device. _"This came through the warp-network just forty Terran minutes ago" _A small image of Aerith/Aeris appears, with Lion El'jonson beside her. _

_**Aerith/Aeris:**__ "... and my thanks goes out to those brave individuals whose selfless actions have placed themselves in the line of danger for our great cause. Thanks to their efforts, however, we have now received reports that the Imperial Palace and surrounding districts have been added to the Union. The Emperor of Mankind lies trapped within his own palace by your brothers and sisters"_

_**Lion El'jonson:**__ "We hope that soon my father and my siblings will see the truth as I have, and come to acknowledge the Union has the future of mankind" He places an arm around Aerith/Aeris, and stares down at her lovingly._

**Mephiston:** "I think I'm going to be sick"

**Eldrad:** _Smiling smugly. _"Sucks to be you, really, doesn't it?"

**Taldeer:** _Sighs. _"You're such a dick"


	178. Chapter 178

**CHAPTER NINETY EIGHT (178)**

**"ELDAR TEA PARTY PART II"**

_Resuming where we left off …_

**Eldrad:** _Standing at the head of a large table, around which sit many prominent figures of Eldar authority from various craftworlds. _"I'll dispense with the usual pleasantries; you've all probably foreseen how poor I am with such social skills, and I've foreseen your inevitable laughter at my expense, so allow me to deny you such pleasures. Please help yourselves to the free drink and mints provided. Also **do** help yourselves to the cookies; my wife made them, and I've foreseen what she might do if there's any left at the end of the evening. It won't be pretty"

**Random Farseer:** "No need to explain, Eldrad; we've all foreseen it!"

_There's much laughter, and Eldrad stands mildly annoyed._

**Mephiston:** _Leans over to Taldeer. _"How many 'foresight' jokes are we going to get through tonight?"

**Taldeer:** _After a moment's concentration. _"A fair number, I'm afraid"

**Mephiston:** _Sighs and downs the rest of his wine (grown in the fine vineyards of the craftworld, or rather what passes for 'grape vines' amongst the Eldar. I suspect, like all things related to the species, it's probably a lot better than the stuff we mere humans drink). _"This is going to be a long evening ..."

**Eldrad:** _Collecting his composure as the laughter dies down. _"When you're all quite finished. Just because I've lived for thousands of years doesn't mean I have the patience of a Slann. We have several important matters to discuss, and the first I wish to raise to debate is perhaps the most important of all!" _He slams his fist down onto the table. _"When are we going to get our rending ponies!"

**Mephiston:** _Incredulous. _"You've got to be joking ..."

**Taldeer:** _Irritated. _"Keep your voice down! This is a **very** sensitive subject amongst us Eldar!"

**Mephiston:** _Whispering. _"You do realise it's said **in jest** as a way of describing how your people are **never satisfied **with anything?"

**Taldeer:** "Yes, and we want that too! That way we will have everything under the suns!"

_Several painful hours later …_

**Eldrad:** "So, are we in agreement that our people deserve rending ponies?"

**Mephiston:** _Muttering to himself, while holding his head (which has developed a rather painful headache after listening to Eldar debate seemingly the same topic, from the same side). _"No one contested that since you raised the issue ..."

**Macha:** "I protest! I want **pink** rending ponies! I believe they'll bring out the colour of my eyes"

**Taldeer:** "My your eyes are **orange**!"

**Macha:** "Only today; I thought they'd match my hair"

**Random Farseer:** "If I might interject; wouldn't it be more sensible to appoint ponies of suitable colour on a craftworld basis?"

**Mephiston:** _Slamming his fists on the table and rising to his feet. _"ENOUGH!!!"

_There's an awkward silence, of the type when someone has said or done something socially unacceptable, and everyone is wondering who will be the one to point this fact out._

**Eldrad:** "What you've done, Mephiston, is socially unacceptable"

_Oh … of course it would be Eldrad …_

**Mephiston:** _Feeling a little deflated after that brief moment of emotion. _"Erm … fair enough, I suppose. But my point remains; there's a galaxy-spanning crisis in progress and you're all talking about **ponies**!!!"

**Macha:** "**Rending** ponies, Mephiston" _Stressing the bold world._

**Mephiston:** "I live in fear of their rending capabilities" _He says sarcastically. _"Don't you care about the Union and the danger it possesses to the galaxy?"

**All:** "No"

**Eldrad:** "In case you haven't noticed, Mephiston, the galaxy **doesn't** revolve around you. We are quite happy to allow your species to slowly destroy itself, and in fact we've already put an order out for several tonnes of popcorn in anticipation of the thrilling climax it'll provide to the sorry saga of the human race. Personally the only worthwhile contribution to the universe you humans have made is produce the _Watchmen_ graphic novel … then you had to go and spoil it by letting a ****** adaptation be made … **fifty times**!!! I think that last one we had the other century actually managed to make Snyder's effort seem a stroke of genius ..."

**Mephiston:** "But what about those battles we've shared?"

**Eldrad:** "Illegal since second edition, and not all of us want to play Apocalypse all the time"

**Mephiston:** "Our shared hatred of Chaos?"

**Eldrad:** "None of us here believe in that 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' shtick. In fact, we prefer to see it as 'the enemy of my enemy is my meat shield' instead"

**Mephiston:** _Nods sadly. _"Very well" _He slowly sits himself down. _"However, I feel you're missing a valuable opportunity here"

**Eldrad:** _Raises an eyebrow. _"What do you mean?"

**Mephiston:** _With an aura of false casualness. _"Well, think about it: the Imperium is in dire straits and can't seem to sort the problem out itself. You guys, naturally, have a solution. What better excuse to sweep in, save the day, then spend the next ten thousand years consistently reminding us how you fixed a 'mon-keigh' problem. It'll do wonders for your superiority complex, and since when have you ever passed up on an opportunity to make us humans look useless?"

**Eldrad:** "While that's obviously a play on our well-known psychological status amongst the galaxy as a bunch of self-righteous snobs in an effort to get us to assist you in a simple matter any child could find their way out of … you are, however, completely correct in your assumptions. We **cannot** allow this golden opportunity to embarrass the Corpse-God of mankind and shame us sons with our righteous Eldar superiority!" _Slams his hands down on the table. _"Ladies and gentlemen, may I suggest a course of action?"

**Random Seer:** "We're all ears, Eldrad"

**Eldrad:** "I have seen the eye of the Red Cyclops fall upon the world of the wolves, and I've seen the Union rise to defend one of a handful of Astartes who have ever shown the common man compassion! They will defend Fenris from the Thousand Sons, and the sons of Magnus will be crushed utterly! **This cannot happen!** A victory there for the Union will only ignite an inferno of support across the galaxy for their cause! We must **crush **the Space Wolves and their supporters!"

**Kyli:** _Her face clean and her hair tidied after an earlier 'incident'. _"But that means allying with the Thousand Sons!"

**Eldrad:** "Congratulations Miss Pointing Out The Bloody Obvious. Go back to MST-ing the story, why don't you?" _Casts a serious gaze over the crowds. _"Yes, this does mean fighting on the side out our sworn enemies, but the future I see if we **don't **is far more severe: the Imperium will crumble, and **we won't have anyone to look down on!**"

_Massive gasps around the room._

**Mephiston:** _Puzzled look appears on his face. _"At the risk of shooting myself in the foot, what about the Orks?"

**Taldeer:** _Throws a face._ "They don't care. It's like hurling insults at an infant; they don't understand you. It's no fun that way" _Sees Mephiston's expression. _"And before you mention it; the Tyranids and the Necrons have no emotions, and so are equally boring to act smug towards, and Chaos just doesn't give a damn. It's like looking down on the drugged-up students of a university campus; it's a waste of a good ego"

**Macha:** "And the Tau are just too **adorable** to insult. They're like a race of Nemos from that Pixar flick … Nemos with **railguns**"

**Mephiston:** _Sarcastically. _"Adorable. So mankind is your favourite self-esteem boost?"

**Eldrad:** "Damn straight you are! We're not going to let anything happen to you! I don't think I'd be able to go a day without reminding Tracy how much he sucks ..."

**Mephiston:** "Who?"

**Eldrad: **"Your Emperor"

**Mephiston:** "His name's **Tracy**?!? Wow … there goes my faith ..."

**Eldrad:** "And you call **us** vain"


	179. Chapter 179

**CHAPTER NINETY NINE (179)**

**"LOGISTICS"**

_In the dark/light/randomly-determined-spectrum-of-colours of the Warp, an armada of vessels silently/noisily/insert-choice-decibel-level-here drift/float/whatever towards their destination (as you can tell, it's bloody hard drying to decide on descriptive factors in a universe which throws out __**every**__ law known to mankind (and various other alien species) and replaces them with 'whatever' as a prime factor. Essentially there are many vessels, and they're going somewhere. The exact details of how, and the description of said action, can be left entirely to your imaginations). _

_On the command deck of the lead ship, appropriately titled _Natural Twenty_, Magnus the Red, Primarch of the Thousand Sons legion of chaos astartes, gazes through the stained glass windows that dominate the 'front' of the deck at the shifting colours beyond (which somehow stay in the 'blue' range, with a dash of purple). Silently brooding, he doesn't hear the approach of an inconspicuous adept._

**Lastie:** _Getting rather impatient. _"Are we there yet?"

**Magnus the Red:** _Turns around to stare down at me (not many people can do that. Being 6' 6" I tend to do the 'staring down' myself). _"For the thousandth time since last week 'almost'! I can't give you can better estimation of our arrival date than that!"

**Lastie:** "It's just that I can't move the story forward until you guys arrive at Fenris, and the fans are getting impatient. The thread's already been hijacked by more than fifty different sub-plots!"

**Magnus the Red:** _Sighs. _"Listen, despite what the latest paper-bound excuse for a book ejaculated by the Black Library after a furious session of self-pleasure while playing _Dawn of War II_ may tell you, Warp travel **isn't** an exact science. It can take **days**, or **weeks**, or even **years** to travel to locations, sometimes that's **negative time**, meaning we get there **before we start out**. It's still **faster than travelling there at the speed of light**. So stop complaining, sit down, and write filler or something!"

**Thrall #5,678:** "My lord?"

**Magnus the Red:** _Jumps in surprise. _"For the love of Tzeentch, Falal, and any other god I may shack up with in the future **narrate **when those things pop up, Lastie!"

_As if I care._

**Magnus the Red:** _Looks around. _"Oh, he's gone back to narrating mode, that must mean ..."

**Thrall #5,678:** "We're there, my lord"

**Magnus the Red:** "Only took us two weeks. Don't see what all the complaining about is for … **AHRIMAN?!?**"

**Ahriman:** _Casting 'Teleport Without Error' from his room, appears by Magnus' side. Quickly tidying himself up and addressing his robes. _"You called, my ex-lord?"

**Magnus the Red:** _Looks at Ahriman suspiciously. _"What were you just doing, Ahriman?"

**Ahriman:** _Sheepishly. _"Playing _Dawn of War II_, my ex-lord"

**Magnus the Red:** _Comprehension dawns on his face. _"Ah … well. It's healthy I suppose. Good to know you've got healthy habits there … Ahriman … ahem … yes. Well … we're here, by the way"

**Ahriman:** "What? Fenris, already? Bloody hell, that was quick. Did we hitch a ride on a good Warp current, or were you going down on Tzeentch again to gain her favour with the Empyreal currents?"

**Magnus the Red:** _Turning … er … a deeper shade of red. _"That's none of your business. Gather the troops, and inform them we'll be initiating the assault within the hour"

**Ahriman:** _Incredulous. _"Within the **hour**? Do you have any idea how long it takes to organise a **planetary assault**? That is, the required manpower, fire power, and the co-ordination of both to assault an area comprising several thousand square miles in a spherical dimension and the population of said area which numbers in the **millions**, several **hundred** of them being **astartes** and the **heavily fortified city** which they call home, situated as it is **in a fricking mountain range**! Not exactly the most traversable of terrain types, I must say"

**Magnus the Red:** _Realising the irony of the situation. _"And I was just criticising Lastie about this earlier ..." _Damn right you were. Payback bastard …_

**Ahriman:** _On a roll now. _"Off the top of my head, I can think of the drop ships that need to be prepared and fuelled for departure and landing (on a planet largely made up of vast oceans and archipelagos, need I remind you? With only **one** decent continent at the bloody north pole!). The drop ships also need to be re-armed, with the ammunition checked, blessed, and verified for purity by the Dark Mechanicus representative on board. **They** also need, in addition to their long religious requirements, need to obey the law of paperwork and fill in vast amounts of forms so they can bill **you** for the cost of all bombs, bullets, and laser batteries expended by the drop ships during the landing and support of our armies" _Pauses for breath. _"Oh, that's just the drop ships, by the way. I haven't even reached our forces yet. We've got daemonic pacts to establish and certify, with several high-up representatives from the Empyrean to confirm our standings with. **They** also have a large amount of paperwork to sort out, although they are least have the decency to keep their red tape immaterial in form. Once **that's** all established our sorceries will have the necessary pacts in order to perform their magicks on the battlefield, **then** we can start establishing pacts for the Powers to lend **us** their armies during the battle. This is quite the lengthy procedure requiring **fantastic** diplomacy and bargaining, as **everyone** needs to come away from the summoning circle knowing they'll be getting something out of the relationship. **Then** there's the Soulforge Committee, who have a hell of a lengthy process of paperwork and blood sacrifice you need to perform before they'll even **think** about sending you one of their soul grinders. **Finally** we can start thinking about awakening our Rubrics and equipping them with weapons they can utilise (which, again, requires the co-operation of the Dark Mechanicus for required ammunition and weapon maintenance). This is all, of course, just been a rough summary of the process"

**Magnus the Red:** "I had no idea of what went on behind the scenes … or left out of the narrative, as the case may be"

**Ahriman:** "This is all just for **one** Legion. Imagine mobilising **nine** of them, and the entirety of the lost and the damned!"

**Magnus the Red:** "I have new respect for Abaddon now"

_**Ezekyle Abaddon:**__ "Well 'Despoiler' is just what I'm known by the Imperium. Amongst the forces of Chaos, I'm referred to as 'Abaddon The Lord of Red Tape'. People fear my mastery of paperwork and run in terror from my bargaining skills. Hell yeah, Marneus Calgar; suck on my 'Charter For Equal Pillaging And Spoils For The Thirteenth Official Black Crusade'!"_

**Magnus the Red:** "So … erm … when can we officially get started?"

**Ahriman:** "Thirteen hundred hours. I'll see to it that we hit that exactly"

**Magnus the Red:** _Checks his watch. _"Half an hour?"

**Ahriman:** "Can we synchronise watches to local time? It's half eight in the morning on Fenris, according to Google Galaxy, at any rate ..."

**Magnus the Red:** _Sighing. _"Pity; it would have been nice to interrupt Leman during his morning cornflakes ..."

= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =

_Speaking of which, for at that exact moment on the planet below …_

**Leman Russ:** _Slurping his cornflakes while reading the morning paper. A hot cup of chocolate milk sits steaming to one side with the daily chapter reports. _"How's the morning inspection going Logan?"

**Logan Grimnar:** _He's more of a weetabix individual … _"So far so good. All defences are at operational status, the servitors are at full hertz, and the beer kegs are filled up"

**Leman Russ: **_Grins as soggy cornflakes hang in his beard. _"Today's going to be a good day Logan ..."

_As he finishes the sentence the door into Leman Russ' personal en suite bathroom opens and Jaina Proudmoore walks out clad only in a bathrobe. _

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Running a comb through her wet hair. _"Could you, at some point today Lee, get some fresh shampoo and conditioner? Oh, hey Logan!"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Confused. _"Erm … who are you?"

**Leman Russ:** "Relax, she's just visiting. Stayed a while after the last arc ended prematurely ..."

**Logan Grimnar:** "What? The summer campaign with the Fish of Time?"

**Leman Russ:** "Oh … that's right. Ret-con"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "Been there, done that. Oh, by the way: several thousand really powerful sorcerers just appeared above your planet. You expecting company?"

**Leman Russ:** "Not from sorcerers, we've got restraining orders on all of them for five light years around Fenris" _Looks at Logan and raises an eyebrow. _"Magnus?"

**Logan Grimnar:** "Sounds like it. I'll gather the lads. I highly doubt he's here to trade _Magic the Gathering_ cards again"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** "Shouldn't: I gave him the whole set"

**Leman Russ:** "OK ... that desire I had last night to sleep with you? It's now gone"


	180. Chapter 180

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED (180)**

_As before mentioned in past chapters, a planetary invasion is one of those awe-inspiring sci-fi concepts writers like to toss around without real thought to the logistics behind such an endeavour. The average planet is a substantially large body, whose total surface area equates to a considerably large number of _Dawn of War_ maps. Apparently, according to popular science fiction, such a massive undertaking is relatively easy to achieve, so long as one is content to close one's eyes, put one's fingers in one's ears, and hum very loudly when confronted with the facts. _

_Magnus the Red, however, is quickly learning that such a narrative luxury does not extend towards him:_

**Magnus the Red:** _Gazing down at the vast amounts of paperwork held before him on the backs of tortured and abused thralls (as they all are). _"**Foodstuff?!?** Why the hell do we need so much food?!? Over ninety percent of our army is either **possessed suits of armour** or **daemonic entities from another dimension!** Why do we need so much food?!?"

**Ahriman:** _Not fazed in the slightest, and determined to get through all this even if it results in his banishment (again). _"My ex-lord, this has been carefully measured and selected for that ten percent who **aren't** immune to the effects of hunger in any degree. While we space marines don't have to eat so much, our forces are still comprised of a large number of human soldiers, and several alien allies. Their food requirements are a little exotic, understandably, and they've been credited on a separate page"

**Magnus the Red:** _Flips over a page, and raises his eyebrow. _"Ten thousand tonnes of KFC?"

**Ahriman:** _Shrugs._ "The kroot love chicken; what can I say?"

**Magnus the Red:** _Flicking through the pages upon pages of reports with increasing discontent. _"Well there's 'love' and then there's pricing us out of the planetary invasion business. Why do we have kroot allies anyway?"

**Ahriman:** "They came with the Chaos tau"

**Magnus the Red:** _Blinks for several moments in surprise. _"We have Chaos tau?"

**Ahriman:** "Yes my ex-lord. Apparently it seems that the appearance of the Hell Bunny Legion was not enough to incite sufficient fan-rage. It was deemed the appearance of that second most fluff abomination is required"

**Magnus the Red:** _Pauses. _"Dare I ask what's the first?"

**Ahriman: **"Chaos Grey Knights"

**Magnus the Red:** "Now why is everything that incites nerd-rage amongst the fluff nutters out there always involve Chaos? You'd think they would have noticed sometime ago that we're sufficient a bunch of crazy bastards to try **anything**"

**Ahriman:** "That may be true, my ex-lord. However the Chaos Japanese High School Girl Troupe was a little stupid"

**Magnus the Red:** "Not when they demonstrated the application of 'hammer space' to retrieve those vulcan mega-bolters from between their legs and mow down those accursed Dark Angels last millennia"

**Ahriman:** _Smiles at the memory. _"Ah … good times"

**Magnus the Red:** "Indeed they are" _Spots something else. _"Wait … **why** have I apparently ordered five thousand inflatable lounge chairs with accompanying beer hats?"

**Ahriman:** "Ah … I was hoping you didn't notice that. Some of the lads and myself were planning to take some vacation (after our inevitable victory of course) on the ice floes"

**Magnus the Red:** "**After** the invasion?"

**Ahriman:** _Hesitates. _"Oh definitely"

**Magnus the Red:** "I guess some things don't change … oh what the hell do **you** guys want?"

_A line of dark tech-priests enter Magnus' private sanctum and arrange themselves before him before, one by one, they hand over leathery tomes bound in still-bleeding arteries. Magnus takes each one and looks at them in confusion. _

**Magnus the Red:** "What are these?"

**Dark Forge-master:** "Minor technicalities, my lord. All we require is your signature, marked in the blood of the righteous as offering to our dark lords"

**Ahriman:** "Define 'righteous'. This **is** the forty-first millennium, after all. I doubt there's an abundance of squeaky-clean moral-loving virgins anywhere we can take advantage of"

**Dark Forge-master:** "Then just anyone's blood will do, but it **has** to be blood. The last Chaos lord we dealt with signed everything with red biro. **That **didn't go down well with the dark gods ..."

**Magnus the Red:** _Opening the first. _"Wait … **fuel expenses**? I thought our mighty war machines ran on the souls of the damned?"

**Dark Forge-master:** "Do you know how expensive the souls of the damned are these days? There **is** an economic recession, remember. Things just aren't as readily available as before. The soul trade got hit hard, especially. Current exchange rate is several hundred dark thrones to a soul, and we just can't afford much"

**Magnus the Red:** _Signing with his own multi-coloured blood (being a good follower of Tzeentch, his bodily fluids change colour depending on the time, day of the week, lunar tides, and proximity to the latest _Doctor Who_ special). _"Just my luck. My grand plan of death on a planetary scale is already being crippled by poor bank management" _He frowns. _"Oh **come on!** You can't charge me for **that!**"

**Dark Forge-master:** _Recognising the tome Magnus has just opened. _"Your forces consist of several hundred thousand **living** individuals who not only need to eat, but also ******.** How do you think that's going to be managed? We all dig a large hole in the ground and point our arses in the general direction?"

**Ahriman:** "Generally I just let my armour do the work. These last few thousand years it's taken a real liking to my-"

**Dark Forge-master:** "Not everyone is fortunate enough to have worn a suit of daemonically-possessed armour long enough for it to have adapted so, my lord Ahriman. Most of our forces are new recruits who haven't even progressed beyond holding up large sticks with crudely painted icons on the top and chanting basic prayers they learnt in religion school"

**Magnus the Red:** "I've noticed that. I'm still not sure where all those Rubric Terminators went either …."

**Ahriman:** "I got a telepathic mail from them the other day. They want to tell you they're having fun in development hell and to hold out until someone writes a decent Chaos 'dex. Either that or pick up 2nd edition again ..."

**Magnus the Red:** "Tempting, but I better not. I'd rather not face Russ' drinking buddies and their 'asscannon/CML' spam of doom again"

**Ahriman:** _Reflecting. _"Yes, that was quite painful"

**Magnus the Red:** _Draining his arteries of blood as he signs multiple tomes. _"I can't believe I'm being charged for all this. Back in the day of the Great Crusade we didn't have to put up with all this red tape … in fact I think it was the red tape that caused the Heresy"

**Ahriman:** "Not Horus becoming somewhat of a megalomaniac?"

**Magnus the Red:** "What? Don't be silly. Horus was **always** a megalomaniac. That's why dad made him Warmaster, just to avoid the inevitable endless millennia of bitching if he didn't" _He finishes the last tome and hands it over to the Forge-master. _"There. Anything else I can do for you gentlemen, or can I **finally** start blowing **** up?"

**Dark Forge-master:** "Just this one thing" _Retrieves a small scroll and hands it to Magnus. _"Your purchase confirmation from eBay for one Gary Gygax's soul"

**Magnus the Red:** "Finally! Now to find a suitable weapon to power with this mighty soul ..."

**Ahriman:** "I never cease to be amazed at what you can buy off eBay"

**Magnus the Red:** "Indeed. Someone out there has my other eye" _Ahriman raises an eyebrow. _"OK, that was a lie" _Tosses the paperwork to one side and stands tall and proud (not a hard thing to do). _"Enough of this! I've had enough! Lets start this invasion!"

**Ahriman:** "About time. If anyone needs me, I'll be in my room packing fifty packs of beer into a porta-horror"

**Magnus the Red:** "That sounds messy"

**Ahriman:** "True, but they keep the drinks cool"


	181. Chapter 181

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ONE (181)**

**"THE WARP CARD ACE"**

_Deep within the bowls of the Fang, that great fortress built upon the mountains of Asaheim, thousands of cloaked thralls hurry to secure the most prized possessions of the Space Wolves chapter. Their minds occupied with their great task, they no longer notice the giant of an astartes that strides amongst them. _

**Wolf Guard Ranulf:** _His sheer size and bulk threatening to achieve critical mass and collapse into a black hole of testosterone. _"Careful! If you spill one drop the Great Wolf shall speak harsh words of sarcasm in your general directions!" _Notices the large adamantium foot planted before him. _"Bjorn? What are you doing down here? Shouldn't you be up on the battlements preparing to face our ancient enemies in battle once more?"

**Bjorn the Fell-handed:** _Looking suspicious … if an emotionless robot with an unchanging face could be described as 'suspicious'. _"Shouldn't you?"

**Wolf Guard Ranulf:** "I'm .. concerned about the beer ..."

**Bjorn the Fell-handed:** "So am I …"

**Wolf Guard Ranulf:** "It … they look safe ..."

**Bjorn the Fell-handed: **"You can never be too sure, though. They might screw up, drop some ..."

**Wolf Guard Ranulf:** "True … never trust a human to do an astarte's job ..."

_They both jump as the communication vox-network beeps a ditzy little tune heralding the impending voice of Leman Russ._

_**Leman Russ:**__ "Stop fussing about the beer and get your asses up here! We're seeing drop-pod fire trails on the horizon! I'm not starting this war with my team two special characters down!"_

_The vox clicks off._

**Bjorn the Fell-handed: **"I guess we better get moving. When he's in this mood you better not mess around with him"

**Wolf Guard Ranulf:** "Well, you would know"

**Bjorn the Fell-handed: **"Trust me I **do**" _Frowns … well the half-corpse within does at any rate. _"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

**Wolf Guard Ranulf:** "Aren't you?"

**Bjorn the Fell-handed:** "Touche"

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

_High above, upon the open battlements of the Fang, a great host of Space Wolves gaze out across the glittering mountains, alight with the dying rays of a setting sun (postcards available from your local Fenrisian gift shop). The Great Wolf, Leman Russ himself, focuses his sight upon the last ember-trail left by a falling drop-pod. _

**Leman Russ:** "You shaking them lucky dice Grimnar?"

**Logan Grimnar: **_Who is indeed shaking dice. _"Yes, my lord"

**Leman Russ:** "Good. I don't want to lose off on that critical first turn roll! Are the Wolf Guard in position?"

**Logan Grimnar:** "Behind hard cover, my lord, with assault cannons and cyclone missile launchers all primed and ready for an ungodly barrage of pure grade-A chedder"

**Leman Russ:** _Nods in satisfaction. _"Good man. Can't let that one-eyed bastard win this time, Logan"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Blinks. _"My lord, I believe **we **won last time"

**Leman Russ:** "I weren't here. Doesn't count"

**Logan Grimnar:** "Of course, my lord ..."

**Jaina Proudmoore: **_Shifting on the balls of her feet. _"Oh this is so exciting!"

**Logan Grimnar:** "You still here?"

**Leman Russ:** "I can't get rid of the bloody woman!" _Exasperated. _"Look, it was a **one night stand**! Don't they have casual sex in Azeroth! Must everything carnal be connected to serious romantic plot developments?"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Blinks several times in confusion. _"Aren't we in love now?"

**Leman Russ:** _Throws up his hands in despair. _"Bloody hell!"

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _With an eager look in her eyes. _"I'm so glad I stayed for this; I've been grinding my honour [points] for weeks now" _Looks up at Leman and grins. _"There's this special epic PVP staff I'm saving up for"

**Leman Russ:** _Grinding his teeth into dust through sheer irritation. _"Please tell me it's the '+1 staff of shut-the-****-up' ..."

**Jaina Proudmoore:** _Offended. _"That's not nice!"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Leaning over to whisper in his Primarch's ear. _"My lord, you **are** excused from killing her. The boys **will** consider it perhaps one of your greatest achievements"

**Leman Russ:** _Sighing. _"But we're Space Wolves laddie; after those goodie-two-shoes Ultramarines we're the closest thing this setting has to good guys"

**Logan Grimnar:** "It's the GRIMDARK darkness of the GRIMDARK far GRIMDARK future; **no one will care**. Hell, you can regularly rape and kill puppies and they'll still raise shrines to you on thousands of worlds"

**Leman Russ:** _Contemplates that for a second. _"Good point" _Reaches over, and with a casual flick of the wrist, snaps Jaina's neck. _"That felt good" _There's a loud 'thud' as her lifeless corpse hits the stonework. _"So what's next?"

**Logan Grimnar:** "Well, if you want I could arrange a blitz of all those other annoying Azeroth inhabitants ..."

**Leman Russ:** "Tempting, but we told them to bugger off after the Plot Hole crap ended, and it'll be a little hypocritical of us to do to them what they did ..." _Frowns for a moment, then smiles. _"Logan; make a date in the diary after this whole affair is finished"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Smiling._ "My pleasure, my lord"

_They stand in silence for some time. The only sound that can be heard is the wind scraping its way across the mountains. Eventually …_

**Leman Russ:** "Bloody hell! What's taking him so long?"

_As they ponder what the Red Cyclops is up to, a small piece of card flutters towards the Primarch, who, with lightning-fast reactions, reaches out and grabs it out of the air. Turning it over, he reads what's written on the card._

**Leman Russ:** "'Ultimate Summon: You may immediately summon a single daemon held in reserve without spending any summoning points' … hey wait a second! We haven't rolled for first turn yet!"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Looking down at the floor. _"Oh no, wait; we did. I dropped the dice ..."

**Leman Russ: **"What? Logan, you fool!"

**Logan Grimnar:** "It was a lost cause anyway, my lord. They probably had M'kachen hidden somewhere with his ridiculous strategy rating ..." _Shuts up as he notices another piece of paper fluttering towards them. _

**Leman Russ:** _Grabbing this piece of paper out of the air again. _"'I Win. GG' … what? What did he summon?"

**Tzeentch:** _Standing behind the pair, with a huge grin on her face. _"Just as planned suckers"

_And there was pwnage … lots of it._

**END OF PART I**

_Somewhere else in the universe entirely …_

**Kyli: **".. what's the worst that could happen?" _Smiles and closes the connection. Looking around her, she spreads her arms open and dances amongst the crystal seers of old. _"Ah, wonderful canon!" _She stops suddenly in front of Eldrad and a small assemblage of individuals with a mix of mortified embarrassment and abstract horror. _

**Eldrad: **"Allow me to add to that canon enjoyment of yours with Plot. Buckets of it. And a Chekhov's Gun for added bonus" _Holds out his staff. _"Keep hold of this, you're going with them" _Jerks his thumb over his shoulders at Taldeer and Mephiston. _"Don't get too excited; your journey will mostly be abstraction. We can't be arsed to fit you into the narrative proper. I just don't trust my personal belongings with someone who can be affected by the narrative"

**Kyli: **_Her knees shaking. _"The Staff of Ulthuan? I will guard it with my life!"

**Eldrad:** "Don't be stupid. That pointy stick's back home being cleaned. That" _He points at the staff. _"Is a Plot Device"

**Kyli: **"What's it for?"

**Eldrad: **"Oh for the gods' sake woman! You're a seer! Flick the script forward a half-dozen or so pages and find out!"

**Kyli: **_Does as he says, and gasps in amazement. _"Impressive!"

**Eldrad:** _Smiles. _"That's what you'll say to me in bed ten chapters from now"

_There's an awkward silence, as everyone wonders how to reply to that._

**Kyli:** "Any chance I can-?"

**Eldrad:** "Just as planned, Kyli"

**Kyli: **"But I've already got-"

**Eldrad:** "Just as planned"

**Kyli: **_Opens her mouth. _

**Eldrad: **"Just as planned"

**Kyli: **"... you really are a dick aren't you?"

**Eldrad:** _Turns to face you. _"At least I'm not you"


	182. Chapter 182

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWO (182)**

**"FOOD STILL SUCKS, THOUGH ..."**

_It is perhaps one of the main constants present in the universe that no matter what the organisation or who runs it there will inevitably be a staff cafeteria. This is true for the following reasons: everyone needs to eat, and people generally prefer to do so in company. Like sex, really._

_The Officio Assassinorum is no exception to this rule, and most of the temple staff congregate at the general canteen come socially-accepted lunch time for food, gossip, and general complaining about the quality of their work. All, that is, except the staff of the Culexus temple, who, being on the other side of the known galaxy, have their own food courts (which has given rise to the rumour that their food tastes better to compensate for the close proximity to soulless abominations). _

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum**: _After carefully considering his options. _"I'll take the mash potato and green peas. Easy on the gravy, thanks love" _Smiles sweetly at the middle-aged woman serving behind the steaming selection of food._

**Master of the Vindicare Temple: **_Shuffling up beside the Grand Master in the queue. _"Hey, did you hear? About the Palace?"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** _Frowning in confusion._ "What part? That it's under siege by billions of unhappy citizens wanting a new system of government, or that the renovation is still behind schedule to a severe lack of skulls to embed in the concrete?"

**Master of the Vindicare Temple:** "The siege part"

**Master of the Venenum Temple:** _From behind the Vindicare. _"I heard that the Emperor has been taken hostage, and that the crowds are calling for the heads of the Primarchs!"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "I can't imagine what for; I doubt if collectively all twenty Primarchs have enough grey matter to keep a Biologis tech-adept happy for even a single term of studies"

_As he finishes his sentence the serving lady, having finished pouring a generous helping of gravy on the grand Master's plate, begins to distort painfully, changing into a reasonably attractive woman who appears half the age of the woman she had been masquerading as (however, thanks to Imperial longevity treatment, she's probably old enough to be the before-mentioned 'middle-aged' woman's __**great grand-mother**__). _

**Master of the Callidus Temple: **_Adjusting the outfit she's wearing, now several sizes too large for her. _"Perhaps they hope to turn them into a collection of novelty coffee mugs. God-Emperor knows they won't need to hollow them out beforehand"

**Master of the Vindicare Temple: **_Slightly concerned. _"Shouldn't we be more respectful? These are the **Primarchs** we're talking about"

**Master of the Callidus Temple: **"And what have they done for the Imperium? I'll tell you: repeatedly screwed it up. Remember that summer campaign, with the Necrons and their C'tan lords trying to re-write out galaxy with Alan Merrett's laptop? Remember that extensive clean-up session we had afterwards assassinating all the loose plot-threads they left dangling everywhere? And don't get me started on the repercussions of their recent ret-con"

**Master of the Venenum Temple:** _Groaning in despair. _"It took me ages to poison all those bloody orcs and ship their corpses back to Azeroth. On the plus side I sold them all at a discount to that Sylvanas chick, which has re-filled the temple armoury quite nicely"

_They move to sit down together at a spare table; concious that they're holding up the queue of hungry adept personnel (and the odd assassin catching a snack between training). The Master of the Eversor Temple is already sitting there, reading the latest issue of _Berserker Monthly_. He smiles politely as they quickly describe the conversation so far, while he thinks of five hundred ways to kill them with the plastic fork supplied for lunch._

**Master of the Eversor Temple: **_Rolling his eyes, in the process noticing that the salt pot would definitely cause major brain damage if used correctly. _"I've got start destroyers worth of dead bodies to dispose of. My boys went a little trigger-happy cleaning up after the last arc"

**Master of the Vindicare Temple:** "When are your boys **not** trigger-happy"

**Master of the Eversor Temple:** "When they're disembowelling their targets with balloon animals, for one. Just because our methods of killing involve more … 'colourful' tactics than your temple's attitude of sitting on their asses for five weeks to let off one shot ..."

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum: **_Raising his hands. _"Hey; lets not get into those types of arguments again. Remember people; we're trained professionals. Not like those Primarchs, who got the command of entire armies just because they were born special"

_They all nod in simultaneous agreement. The Master of the Eversor Temple can't help but notice how deadly the paper plates are._

**Master of the Vindicare Temple:** "So, are we going to help the Emperor in his time of need?"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum: **"As his sons seem to be as useful as a wet tissue in a rainstorm, I believe it's time we saved his ass again ..."

**Master of the Eversor Temple:** "I could kill someone with a wet tissue"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "Richard, you could kill **anyone** with **anything**. That's never been disputed, although I'm still trying to work out how that how you killed that guy with **his own spleen**"

**Master of the Eversor Temple:** _Grins._ "Good times"

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Sitting on his throne, head on hand. _"By the gods I'm **bored**"

_Around him Horus, Hecate, Dorn, Sanguinius, and several senior space marines of the Imperial Fists, Black Legion, Hell Bunnies, and Blood Angels sit contemplating their fates. A million lasguns point at them from the balconies on the walls of the cavernous throne room. At the base of the Golden Throne itself several senior administrative staff argue with Malcador, their voices masked by the psychic prowess of the Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. From the looks of their faces they seem to be discussing something of great important with heated emotions. Either that or they're debating whether 10 plastic Empire Greatswords are worth £25 …_

**Horus:** _Looking as equally bored as his father. _"Dammit! Why don't we rush them! They're only lasguns! We're **Primarchs**!"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Looks at him like an English teacher would look at a pupil who had just announced he could re-type the entirety of Shakespeare's works on his mobile phone. _"We're also only Toughness 5 – they **will** hurt us. There's enough of them. Do you really want to go down in history as the Primarch who got his ass handed to him by a 2 point clerk with a lasgun?"

_Horus doesn't answer that question, and instead opts to look sullen._

**Hecate:** _Looking around at the situation. _"Guys; I have a plan. I need you to make a distraction for me"

**Horus:** "For you? What are you planning?"

**Hecate:** _Grins._ "Just make some noise, brother"

**Horus:** _He sighs and rises to his feet. _"I was bored anyway" _Casts his gaze around the room, and smiles. _"I declare, that I, Horus, Warmaster of Awesome, Lord of Cool, He Who Everyone Wants to Sleep With (including the guys, and personally I don't blame them), am walking out of here. I dare anyone to stop me"

_The lasguns open fire. The entire room is filled with criss-crossing laser beams that lightly burn anything they touch. For several second afterwards everyone's sight is obscured by the retinal after-image. Eventually their sight is restored, in time to see Horus writhing on the ground in pain._

**Horus: **"Godsdammit! Those lasguns **hurt!**"

**Rogal Dorn: **_Trying to hide the smile that threatens to break across his face. _"Yeah, lasguns will do that to you in enough number" _Looks around and frowns._ "Hey … where's Hecate?"

_It seems someone else has notice the absence of Hecate also, as shouting begins to arise from those watching the Primarchs, and very soon the sound of hundreds of running feet can be heard echoing through the chamber._

_Malcador the Sigilite mounts the stairs and climbs up to approach the EMPEROR OF MANKIND!, his face masked by pure fury._

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "Where is she?"

**THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Faking confusion (not hard). _"Where is who?"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "That bitch! Where is she? I know she can turn invisible! Dammit, I told everyone to **not** take their eyes off her!"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Indeed. She could be anywhere by now. She can run pretty fast, you know. Army-wide special rule. Along with going psycho and kicking you ass every three days out of the month"

**Malcador the Sigilite: **_Leans closer and tries to look threatening. A tricky thing to pull off when the guy you're trying to threaten is almost three feet taller than you, and twice as wide. _"I'm trying to resolve this situation **peacefully **without you **idiots** screwing it up like always! When I find your sister, I'm going to **kill her**, hire in some necromancers to raise her, then **kill her again**"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Yeah … good luck with that"

_Meanwhile, no more than several hundred metres from where Rogal Dorn and his brothers are held captive by angry office workers, Hecate hides in the shadows, cloaked by her natural invisibility, as several Custodians rush past led by union representatives._

**Hecate:** _"Well this was smart girl. You're alone, and by the traditional laws of female invisibility (thank you Sue Storm) I'm also naked, in the middle of a continent-spanning fortress filled with people who __**aren't**__ too happy with you right now. What the __**hell**__ am I going to do now?"_

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Appearing right beside her. _"Personally, I heavily recommend bending over for no reason whatsoever"


	183. Chapter 183

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THREE (183)**

**"IS IT GBH IF IT'S CONSENSUAL?"**

_I believe I've described the Imperial Palace in sufficient detail these last few chapters, so suffice to say it's not beyond the boundaries of in-universe logic that the Primarchs Corax and Vulkan are quite lost. It's not like the damn place has a tourist information office, at any rate._

**Vulkan:** _Indignant. _"We're not lost!"

**Corax:** "I believe we are, quite lost" _Looks around the deserted corridors. _"Now where did Angron and Vect go?" _Stops, cocking his head to one side. _"Do you hear that?"

**Vulkan:** _Grinning. _"Sounds like someone's having a good time"

_The hurry down the corridor, turning the corner to be greeted by the strange (and somewhat disturbing) image of Vect having the seven shades of crap beaten out of him by a naked Hecate, and __**enjoying every moment of it.**_

**Asdrubael Vect:** "That's it baby! The ribs are evil and must be broken! **Gods you're good at this!**"

**Hecate:** _Looks up to see her brothers, a horrified expression appears on her face. _"This isn't what it looks like, I **swear**!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Looking at them through two bloodied eyes. _"It **so** is!"

_To understand how this situation came about, we must re-wind the story a little …_

_**Five hours ago …**_

**Angron:** _Hefting his bloodthirster-chucks across his shoulders; the daemons hanging bored either side of him. The lake of blood begins to dry around his feet, the civilians having bled dry several minutes ago. _"They're most likely holding our brothers in one of the main areas of the palace; like the banquet room, the ballroom, or the indoor swimming pool"

**Corax:** "Or, perhaps, the throne room?"

**Angron:** "What? With all those dead psykers dad hasn't got round to cleaning up still decomposing in their sockets?" _Shudders. _

**Asdrubael Vect:** "What? Don't like dead people?"

**Angron:** "I **make** dead people. It's the creating process I enjoy, not the end result"

**Vulkan:** "Fine, then I suggest we split up. Corax and I will take the throne room, while you and Khan take the indoor swimming pool" _Turns to the dark eldar. _"And you … keep out of trouble and try to rape as few people as possible"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Frowns._ "Define 'rape'. Is it still considered that if I yell out 'surprise' beforehand?"

_Silence._

**Corax:** "OK, we're going. Good luck"

_Actually … that doesn't really explain much at all. Weren't Angron, Corax, Khan and Vect heading to Commorragh for a holiday? Where did Corax appear from? What the hell are they all doing in the palace anyway? Is this a sign that the arch-enemy of narrative fiction, the Plot Hole, has returned with a vengeance? Maybe they'll reveal this missing plot line as we move forwards with the story …_

_**Corax:**__ "Don't count on it"_

_Screw you._

**Vulkan:** "So this is not what we think? So it's not Vect being … Vect?"

**Hecate:** _Dropping Vect onto the floor, where he twitches with ecstasy (and, you know, the broken bones and pain and stuff …). _"Nope … just taking out some aggression. You know ..."

**Corax:** "Fair enough. First order of priority then is to get you some clothes. I assume you slipped out under the cover of your invisibility skills?"

**Hecate:** "What gave it away? The nakedness? Or have you been reading the last few chapters so you could catch up on what you missed?"

**Corax:** "Haven't missed much; the plot caught up with **us.** You see; the Dark City's currently … not so dark"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Writhing on the floor, flood oozing from his mouth. _"They fething installed slave unions while I was gone! They're attacking us with fair trade agreements, appropriate healthcare bills, and **free rights for all sentient beings**!"

**Hecate:** _Horrified._ "In **Commorragh!** That's … that's …"

**Vulkan:** "Disgustingly pleasant, isn't it? This _Star Trek-_esque utopian ideal is spreading fast, and soon there won't be any GRIMDARK left in this universe for us to enjoy. I don't know about you guys, but I personally enjoyed committing mass genocide without any moral repercussions. I enjoyed doing all the stuff villains indulge themselves with and have everyone call me the **good guy**. I don't want to see all this go"

**Corax: **"So naturally we're here to make sure all that doesn't happen, kick some ass, kill lots of people, and get away with it"

_They all nod in agreement, and indulge in a dramatic pause as the background music meets a crescendo. The music ends, and an uncomfortable silence begins as everyone waits for the other to suggest a plan of action._

**Vulkan:** "So what was your plan anyway Hec? I mean you went through the humiliation and embarrassment of sneaking out in the nude-"

**Hecate:** "I **was** invisible at the time, you know?"

**Vulkan:** "-so you must have a plan, right?"

**Hecate:** "I was thinking of approaching the Officio Assassinorum. They've been awfully quiet lately, and they are supposed to be quite loyal to us. Ever since the Ordo Sicarius started smashing heads together after the War of Vindication"

**Vulkan:** "The **assassins?** Why approach them? They can only field half a dozen models in the average-sized game! That's not compliant with GW's eventual desire to dominate the world! How are they going to devour the world's economy with a six-model army? They should buy space marines, **lots of space marines!**"

_Another uncomfortable silence._

**Corax:** "You quite finished?"

**Vulkan:** _Slightly confused. _"Yes … sorry. Not sure what came over me there"

**Corax:** "Then it's settled; we're paying the Grand Master a visit"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "About time"

_There's a moment where the Primarchs contemplate jumping several feet in the air with surprise, but eventually decide not to as that would most likely require swallowing their gargantuan pride beforehand. They settle on mild astonishment instead._

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** _Standing amongst the giants. _"So, what can I do for you gentlemen?" _Gives a short bow in Hecate's general direction._ "And my lady"

**Vulkan:** "Where does your loyalty lie Bob?"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "With the Emperor and his chosen, my lord"

**Corax:** "And the loyalty of your temples?"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "With the Emperor also … although the Eversor temple is currently enjoying a lifetime subscription to Khorne TV (100% blood, all the time, every day!), so I'm a little hesitant about declaring for them"

**Vulkan:** "We've got Angron on our side, and he's currently been shacking it up with Khorne since Kerrigan buggered off back to her own universe"

**Hecate:** "Male or female form?"

**Corax:** "Do you really want to know? Because I didn't ask-"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I di-" _He screams as everyone kicks him in the face simultaneously._

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "Regardless. If you are seeking my expertise, then they are yours to command. I also have a plan"

**Corax:** "Is it cunning?"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "Extremely"

**Vulkan:** "I like this man already"

**Hecate:** "Profess your love later, James. Can I have some clothes now, **please?!?**"


	184. Chapter 184

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR (184)**

**"THE GREATEST HORROR IN THE UNIVERSE"**

_**A narratively significant period of time ago …**_

**Vulkan:** _Leaning forward to peer through the clear liquid titanium porthole (and no, don't ask how that works. Like all good sci-fi writers I'm just pulling random names out of my ass and attaching them together to form what I hope to be a suitably exotic-sounding material that can serve instead of a more traditional window). _"So this is the Port of Lost Souls?"

**Angron:** _Cleaning his axe (not that it's dirty, but it's something he can do to pass the time and not be called out as a sissy, unlike his other favourite pastime – knitting). _"Pleasant name. Any particular reason for it?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Sliding down the wraithbone banisters leading into the viewing gallery to join the guests aboard his personal flagship. _"The dockworkers here are notoriously bad at handling goods and keep dropping the souls we give them to store away, hence the name"

**Angron:** _Blinks._ "Really?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Of course not. We just chose it for the cliché melodrama it inspires. 'Port of Lost Souls' my ass, this place is actually known as Quethalathosothilliano, or 'Badly Cleaned Teeth' to translate it (poorly) into High Gothic"

**Vulkan:** "Because all the spiky buildings everywhere look like rotting teeth?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Correct. Never let it be said we eldar don't have a sense of self-depreciative humour. Well … at least we Kabalite eldar do. Those stuck-up Craftworld nutters, on the other hand ..."

**Angron:** "We get it: you don't like each other. Your display of species solidarity is a inspiration to us all – want a cookie?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "No, but I'd love an eight-year-old girl"

**Angron:** "Sorry, fresh out of those on account of me **not** being a sick ****"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Smiling to himself, notices something out one of the viewing ports._ "Hello, that wasn't there the last time"

**Vulkan:** "What? The giant 'WE LOVE YOU VECT!" posters hung up everywhere? I thought that was the standard dark eldar method of greeting one's leader"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "No, they usually read 'WHO WANTS TO GANG-RAPE VECT'?, or 'VECT, I WANT YOUR ABORTION!'. This is **definitely** not a good sign"

**Vulkan:** "Yes, they actually want to rid the universe of a possible sequel to that god-awful book of yours"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "I'll have you know that my book has helped billions seek success in the arena of love … consensual or otherwise … mostly non-consensual … and illegal on so many different worlds … except here"

**Angron:** "Does this place actually have any laws?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Yes" _Pulls out a splinter pistol and begins exchanging the ammo for something more … potent. _"Don't **** with the Vect"

_The ship slowly arrives in dock, the giant clamps lowering in place to hold the elegant vessel safe until such time as it desires to leave (which may be sooner than the occupants believe). The boarding ramp extends slowly from its semi-sentient liquid adamantium cradle (watch me make up materials again for our eldar chums!) to connect flawlessly with the airlock of the craft. _

**Automated Docking System:** "Docking procedures complete. Welcome to Commorragh – City of a Thousand Pleasures (And More of an Illegal Nature!). Please remember to take all personal belongings with you out of the craft, as any unattended bags or small children will be considered the property of the nearest Kabal lords. Enjoy your stay, and remember – here at Commorrragh we value your personal desires above the welfare of other beings!"

**Vulkan:** _Entering the access codes on the airlock (Vect had told him earlier, after a particularly drunk session of monopoly). _"Be on your guard folks; the Dark City's a rough place normally, but I have a feeling this time will be a little different"

**Corax:** _Sharpening his lightning claws against each other, the crackling power field producing pretty-looking sparks. _"A gut feeling?"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**Vulkan:** _Looking at both of them._ "No; I checked out the script in advance" _They raise their eyebrows in disbelief. _"All right – just kidding. I recognise the blatant signs. I do browse occasionally in my spare time"

_The airlock cycles, and they step through into the welcoming lounge of the Port of Lost Souls (well, one of them anyway. The palace is like Heathrow Airport, only less deadly). The Primarchs step through in trained military fashion (i.e. stumbling over each other, making lots of accusations against each other, and generally making Asdrubael Vect and his Incubi guard face-palm). _

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Gesturing at the Primarchs. _"Ladies and gentlemen; may I present to you the human Emperor's finest"

**Incubi A:** "The black one's cute; I'll **** him later"

**Vulkan:** _Looking back over his shoulder._ "You better be a girl when you take off that armour, or I'll … oh forget it. You'll probably enjoy **that too"**

**Corax:** "Hold up – someone's approaching!"

_They ready their weapons and take aim as the long shadow of someone approaching the corner lengthens. The suspense builds, the music grows louder, and the shadow reveals itself to belong to … __**Lion El'jonson**__?!?_

**Lion El'jonson:** _Raising one hand in greeting._ "Konichi wa"

**Vulkan:** "Lion? What the hell are **you** doing here?"

_A short brunette in a garish pink outfit walks out to grasp Lion's hand affectionately. _

**Aeris/Aerith/DFG:** "Greetings Primarchs. I didn't except to meet with you again so soon"

**Corax:** "Holy crap in a hand basket it's **you!** What the hell are you doing here, and why does Lion have that stupid grin on his face?" _Comprehension dawns._ "Oh dear Imperial Truth … you're in **love?!?**"

**Lion El'jonson:** "She has shown me the way. Our love with bring peace and joy to this universe. We have already spread our happiness to the citizens of this city, and they have welcomed us with open arms and open hearts"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Actually horrified, for the first time in his life. _"Oh dear gods, what have you done?"

_The sound of hundreds of feet walking towards them becomes apparent, and soon faces start appearing along the balconies overlooking the lounge. Eldar, human, orks – the slaves and their former masters stand side-by-side. All looking down on our main characters will joyful smiles on their faces. _

**Asdrubael Vect:** "What have you done to my city?!?"

**Aeris/Aerith/DFG: **"I have given them love"

**Urien Rakarth:** _Stroking a cuddly soft puppy. _"We have been awoken to the ways of peace and tranquillity! She has shown us the ways of supportive unions to ensure our well-being and peace of mind!" _Looks at the DFG lovingly. _"She is an angel to us all"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Trying not to throw up._ "My city … it's all … saccharine … **what have you done?!?**" _Launches himself at the DFG, Agoniser pepped and ready to inflict some … agonising pain. _

_In a flash Lion El'jonson stands between Aeris/Aerith/DFG and Vect, the Lion Sword out and ready to inflict some punishment._

**Vulkan:** "Brother! Can you not see? She has blinded you with her lies!"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Throwing Vect across the lounge. _"No! My eyes are open! I have been freed from my father's false truths! There can be peace! There can be respite! There doesn't have to be war!"

**Vulkan:** "But … that's just **boring!**"

**Lion El'jonson:** "I will install peace in this universe through the teachings of my dearest, and when I do so I will turn this franchise into one acceptable for the Nintendo Wii! We will become family-friendly, and the profits we make shall be huge!"

**Corax:** "This is bad, **real **bad"

**Lion El'jonson:** _Points his sword at his brothers. _"Unleash our greatest weapon! Release the Cute Fluffy Kittens!"

**Vulkan:** "**NO!** NOT THE KITTENS!"


	185. Chapter 185

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE (185)**

**"NAKED IMPERIUM"**

_**Present Day (or what passes for it in the PRIMARCHS-verse anyway)**_

**Hecate **_Squeezing herself into a skin-tight (and incredibly revealing) suit of Terminator armour (yeah, I know this makes no sense. Consider if the designer of female warcaster armour in the world of Warmachine met up with a Warcraft blacksmith in a pub and the two of them got completely smashed and had a threesome with a techpriest. Afterwards, in the post-'did-we-just-do-what-I-think-we-did' glow, they sat down together and designed … __**this**__). _"So you guys got arse-raped by the Union?"

**Asdrubael Vect: **_Tuning his agoniser from 'excruciating pain' to 'watching daytime TV'. _"Basically, yes, but without the pleasure, none of the pain, and all of the humiliation afterwards. We tried to fight, but those damn kittens were just too **cute**"

**Hecate** _Turning on the in-built targeters. _"So what happened? How did you escape?"

**Asdrubael Vect: **_Points at the fur cloak draped around his shoulders. _"One-hundred-percent real kitten fur, and one-hundred-percent still alive" _As if to prove what he just said true, the cloak lets off a series of painful meows. _

**Back in the past, in Commorragh …**

_The prison cells of Commorragh are surprisingly spacious and comfortable compared to their Imperial equivalents. While the Imperium believes the confines of a prison should be the punishment, the dark eldar know that the __**location **__of the prison cells is the actual punishment, so why bother making the prison cell harsh? Besides, comfy chairs and air conditioning only make matters worse when you realise you're in the __**Dark City**__, and there's about several billion dark eldar outside who will only be too happy to inflict gross physical violations upon you._

**Vulkan: **_Sitting back and putting his feet up on the complementary coffee table. _"Well look at it this way – it could be worse. At least we've been captured by evil pacifists this time"

**Angron:** _Smoking a bloodletter (twice the high with none of the lung cancer!). _"Where's Richard Rahl when you need him?"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrating gaze_

**Vulkan:** "I think we should do something about Vect though" _He stares at the corner of the room, where Vect huddles in a foetus position._

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Rocking back and forth. _"Can't sleep, kittens will cuddle me. Can't sleep, kittens will cuddle me. Can't sleep …"

**Vulkan:** "We can't leave here without him; Vect knows this city like the back of his hand. We need to get to the Imperial Palace quickly, and we can't get out quickly if we have to fight through millions of angry pacifistic union workers" _Sees Angron's expression. _"And it's **not **good to kill them, Angron"

**Angron:** "You lack moral clarity, James"

**Vulkan: **"And could people **stop** calling me James? My **mother** never called me James"

**Jaghatai Khan: **_penetrating gaze_

**Vulkan: **"And **you **can shut up too" _Punches the wall in frustration, leaving a large hole through which Lelith Hesperax's surprised face can be seen._

**Lelith Hesperax: **"Do you mind? I was on the toilet there!"

**Angron:** "Oh great; toilet humour in PRIMARCHS. We have hit rock bottom haven't we?"

**Vulkan:** "Not if I have anything to say about it" _Glances through the hole in the wall again. _"Anyway, what are you doing locked up like us?"

**Lelith Hesperax: **_Adjusting the frighteningly modest clothes she's wearing (also featuring a horrifying amount of pink). _"I made comment about the Union's 'Modesty Preservation Laws to Protect the Innocence of Our Families'. They were asking us gladiators to wear … well-" _She gestures at what she's currently wearing. _"So I replied with something similar to 'over my dead body', only a lot more harsh and featuring words my husband would roll over in his grave if he knew I had uttered … if he had a grave … although it's hard to tell where Daemon Princes stand with the whole mortality/death issue … so they locked me up here after forcing me to wear what they're implementing as this year's tournament garb"

**Vulkan:** "It's hideous"

_Lelith nods in agreement. _

**Angron:** "Modesty Preservation … for Innocent Families? In **my **universe?" _Stands still in shock for several moments, then suddenly snaps and begins hurling himself at the walls of the cell. _"Let me out! I need to plunge this galaxy back into endless war! It's for your own goods! You'll never grow strong and badass without conflict! You'll only end up weak and … **liberal**!"

**Vulkan:** "Guess we now know who Angron votes for ..." _[Author's Note: Obviously not the Lord of Change currently in the White House]_

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Still rocking back and forth. _"Cant sleep; kittens will cuddle me. Can't sleep-"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _Striding over to slap Vect around the face. _"Quiet man! Stop your pitiful whimpering and listen to me! You are Asdrubael Vect, Supreme Lord of the Kabal of the Black Heart! Your word is greater in power than a thousand of the Emperor's Titans! You say 'war' and galaxies crumble beneath the might of your people! You say 'peace', and millions lament for it will be **your** peace. As your people descend from the skies to kill and enslave they do so not for glory or power, but because they **can**. True power needs no justification, no reason, only to exist. You wield true power, my friend. Power over life and death. Now rise – rise up and claim that power once more!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Doesn't say anything for several moments, then looks up at Jaghatai Khan and smiles. _"Do you always save your words for inspiring speeches? Is that what you do?"

**Jaghatai Khan:** _penetrat- … _"Yes"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Stands to his feet. _"Thank you for that. I feel much better. In the face of supposed despair, it's always good to be reminded that you can still kick ass despite coming from a 'dex that hasn't been updated in a decade"

**Angron:** "I'm happy for you, really" _He's not._ "But how the hell do I break these walls down? How comes Vulkan can punch a hole through the wall into the cell next door but I've been bashing my head on the door and nothing has happened?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "The walls between the cells are normal ferrocrete. The walls between the cells and the outside prison complex, however, are mere ferrocrete layer over pure narrativium. We figured it wasn't worth the effort to make travel **between **cells impossible, as we often imprison from many different species who will never get along even with a common enemy in sight"

**Angron:** "Narrativium? I've never heard of it"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "You wouldn't have. It's something only possible in the Warp, where the laws of realities mix and crumble. The webway, by its nature, is an extension of the Warp, so narrativium may be formed without … unpleasant side-effects. We imported the design specifications from the Discworld millennia ago ..."

**Angron:** "It's bloody hard"

**Asdrubael Vect:** "It's narratively impossible to break"

**Vulkan:** "So how do we get out?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Walks to the door and holds his hand up against it. _"Luckily all the doors in this place have a psychic 'cheat code' embedded within them to react to my psychic signature. I wouldn't make a city without me having the back-keys to everything, would I?"

_As he speaks the door swings wide open without a sound._

**Vulkan:** "That's handy. Do all doors open that easily to you?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Grins mischievously. _"All of them"

**Vulkan:** _Pauses for a moment, then shudders. _"I shouldn't have asked that" _He follows Vect out, in turn followed by a rather irate Angron and a calm Jaghatai Khan. _

_In the corridor outside Vect is quickly opening all the doors he can find. Various scum of Commorragh run into the prison, slaughtering newly-pacifistic guards left right and centre. In the midst of the carnage Vect, the Primarchs, and Lelith Hesperax meet up._

**Asdrubael Vect:** "This is fun! I haven't slaughtered this many defenceless people since I got invited to that Galactic Peace convention some years back!"

**Corax:** "Who the hell would invite you to something like that?"

**Vulkan:** "Corax! Where the hell did you appear from?"

**Corax:** "I made the mistake of thinking I could change my brother's mind after seeing his broadcast standing next to that bitch of a girlfriend. I got stuck in here when that plan sunk. So ..." _Looks around. _"This a break-out?"

_**Fast-forward to the present:**_

**Vulkan:** _Checking his combi-multi-meltagun. _"And that's how we got here"

**Hecate:** _Pausing between checking her own weapons. _"I get the feeling you're missing a large chunk of story out ..."

**Vulkan:** _Feigning innocence. _"Really? What gives you that impression?"

**Hecate:** "After the affair with the Plot Hole and its nefarious attempts to devour our universe in an orgy of badly-written Black Library pulp fiction … which is happening **anyway **but that's beside the point … I took some lesson on 'How **Not** To Write Cohesive Fiction', and brother you just ticked all the boxes. How did you get from the Commorragh prison complex to **here**, inside one of the most heavily fortified fortresses in the known galaxy?"

**Corax:** "The power of narrative, sister. The Plot needed us to be here in order for it to move forward, and hence we travelled here with the minimum of fuss"

**Vulkan:** "Not counting the side-trip to Nocturne to pick up my stash of … somewhat illegally confiscated AdMech weaponry ..."

**Hecate:** _Raises an eyebrow. _"You've been hoarding Adeptus Mechanicus weaponry?"

**Vulkan:** "Hell yeah. They get cooler stuff than we do – **us! Space Marines!** Where's the justice in that?"

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** _Appearing from nowhere. _"Oh woe betide the fact that **any** military organisation in the Imperium gets better gear than you genetically engineered freak-shows. If you're still interested in saving this empire, then you might be interested to know that my people are in place and ready for you to give the order to execute operation 'Save Tracy's Backside (Again)'"

**Vulkan:** _Looking at his siblings. _"Lock and load; we're going up against our hardest challenge yet – **office clerks**"

_There's an uncomfortable silence._

**Vulkan:** "Yeah … that really doesn't sound particularly dramatic, does it?"


	186. Chapter 186

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIX (186)**

**"THE GREAT DEBATE"**

_To the victory, the spoils. Or something like that anyway. Throughout the course of Human history wars have been fought for many reasons; from money, land, resources, religion, because-you-haven't-had-a-decent-war-for-ages-and-that-small-country-next-door-looks-like-a-pushover. You name it, we as a species will think up a reason to kill lots of people for it. In the 'nightmare' future of the forty-first millennium war is generally fought because people can't learn to share the last jammy dodger and the only biscuits left are those damn rich tea variety that taste like cardboard left in the sun all day. _

_To be honest no one is exactly sure why Magnus the Red decided to get off his lazy arse, put down the D&D books, and invade a planet, let alone Fenris. There's an atmosphere of hope that sooner or later he would provide an expository speech and all will be revealed. Of course, this being PRIMARCHS there probably isn't a reason, and the author just decided to indulge in some good old-fashioned character derailment just to get a plot moving. After all, if it works for the Black Library …_

_Speaking of which, we now return our attention to that small water-covered rock of icebergs and migrating Vikings, where a great fortress has fallen in battle thanks to dastardly and downright __**cheating**__ strategies. As the captured and defeated Space Wolves are lined up before the victorious leaders of the Thousand Sons legion, Magnus the Red seizes the opportunity to at last settle and age-old wrong between the two legions:_

**Magnus the Red: **_Standing triumphantly in a pose that he hopes makes him look superior. In reality it makes him look like smug wargamer who just managed to pull off four sixes in a row and is now boasting that it places him higher on the list of social worth than people who feed starving kids in Africa. _"Jean-Luc Picard **is** the superior captain of the _Enterprise_. You cannot deny this fact now Leman!" _Points dramatically at the kneeling Primarch._

**Leman Russ:** _Sighing, having heard it all before a thousand times. _"What the hell have you been taking laddie? Jim Kirk is obviously the winner; he could kick that half-French twit any day of the week!"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Staring at the both of them in disbelief from where he kneels beside his lord. _"Please tell me this isn't all just about which _Star Trek_ captain is your favourite?"

**Magnus the Red:** _Spins upon one foot to face the captured Wolf Lord. _"Are you trivialising such an **important** matter? This question is part of the very lifeblood of all Trekkies! The foundation upon which all geek debates are founded! This question is … **important**!"

**Logan Grimnar:** "But it's a pointless question! Besides … Sisko is **blatantly** the more badass captain"

**Magnus the Red:** _Aghast._ "Heretic!"

**Logan Grimnar:** "Now **there's** an ironic statement . .."

**Bjorn the Fell-handed:** _Chained to the wall. _"I believe we're missing the elephant in the room, so to speak. I refer, of course, to **why** we've been attacked, **how** we lost, and **where** do we go from here?"

**Leman Russ:** "Aye. The tin can speaks some sense (for once)! You used **Tzeentch**, for crying out loud! I thought we agreed ages ago **no god-like girlfriends!** They're **cheating** Magnus, you **cheated**! I admit dusting off those terminator suits with the cyclone missile launchers and assault cannons for my Wolf Guard was a little … unfair … but I didn't **cheat!** I may be playing an earlier edition but I'm **still playing by the rules**! You **cheated**!"

**Magnus the Red:** "Yes I cheated! I did think about battle plans, about multiple ways to assault this impregnable fortress, but you know what? I honestly **tried**, but in the end I called up T. You know why? Because if we had fought normally, if we had waged an epic, chapter-spanning siege that had explosions, death, sacrifice, and all that crap. If we had done that there would have been **character development. **We would have talked; you and I between sword blows like some crappy shonen manga. We might have come to an understanding; sorted out our differences, established a new sense of a relationship based on logical progression from what we had before. You know what? I honestly **couldn't be arsed **with all that. So I called in T. She kicked your ass so I wouldn't have to suffer through the multiple chapters that otherwise would needed to have been dedicated to it"

**Leman Russ:** "Wait … you cheated because you were **too lazy** to do it normally?"

**Magnus the Red:** "No, I didn't want to look into those puppy-dog eyes of yours and second-guess my own actions. Every time before when I've attempted to kick your ass you say something, do something, then we all fall about laughing and it's back to being those brothers who **'really'** love each other just don't like everyone else to know"

**Bjorn the Fell-handed:** "But we know anyway"

**Magnus the Red:** "Oh quiet! I've won; you've lost. Just accept it so we can get to the next part: publicly acknowledging your heinous acts against psykers throughout the universe!"

_There's another uncomfortable silence._

**Leman Russ:** "Come again?"

**Magnus the Red:** "I've heard the tales: hunting down psykers and making them watch _Britain's Got Talent_ on repeat for hours on end! Punishing my people because of your ridiculous superstitions! It **sickens** me Leman, and in the name of my kind I'm here to bring you to justice!"

**Leman Russ:** _Thinks for a moment._ "I don't remember doing any of that"

**Magnus the Red:** "You lie!"

**Ahriman:** "No he's telling the truth"

**Magnus the Red: **"How can you be sure?"

**Ahriman:** "I'm psychic"

_Another uncomfortable silence._

**Magnus the Red:** "Ah … of course" _Looks down at Leman Russ. _"But I was informed by incredibly reliable sources!"

**Ahriman:** "Now you mention it, my ex-lord, just **who are** your 'sources'?"

**Magnus the Red:** "Some shifty-looking guy in red power armour, his face obscured by a cloak. At first I thought he was a Blood Angel who hadn't cleaned his armour for ages, but then I caught a look at his chapter badge and it wasn't any I recognised"

**Leman Russ:** "What did it look like?"

**Magnus the Red:** "A giant bird at the wrong time of the month. Quite disturbing"

**Ahriman:** "Wait a moment … I'm having horrible flashbacks to when I guest-starred in a C S Goto book ..." _His face is horrified. _"Blood Ravens!"

**Leman Russ:** "Those sneaky possible-traitor-related bastards set you up Magnus! But why? What good does it do for them to have us at each other's throats?"

**Tzeentch:** _Having just finished washing her hair walks into the scene. _"Have you guys heard about Terra being besieged by disgruntled office staff?"

**Leman Russ:** _In deep thought … well, as deep as Leman's thoughts can get, which is to say not much deeper than the shallow end at your local pre-school pool. _"It could be coincidence … but just when Terra faces it's greatest crisis those who have the power over such a foe are occupied with their age-old enemy!"

**Ahriman:** _Blinks in confusion. _"You have power over office staff? What type of lame astartes power is that?"

**Tzeentch:** "I thought the Ultramarines were supposed to be the ones Average Joe and his wife vote for at the annual Astartes Popularity contest?"

**Leman Russ:** "What? That big blue bastard and his blue bastard kin? Nah – who saved the citizens of Armageddon from nasty concentration camp death after Angron had his way with the planet?"

**Logan Grimnar:** "Ah, my lord? We didn't save them"

**Leman Russ:** "Aye, but we filed several strongly-worded letters of complaint! **That** showed them didn't it?"

**Logan Grimnar:** _Nods in agreement, mainly out of despair. _"Aye, my lord"

**Magnus the Red:** _Collapsing to his knees. _"I've been played! By a mere fourth-rate chapter at that! How can I bare to show my face again?"

**Tzeentch:** _Consolingly pats him on the shoulder. _"There, there darling. It'll be OK" _With a flick of the wrist she shunts him into a pocket dimension. _"You can angst in there for the time being"

**Ahriman:** "That was rather harsh wasn't it?"

**Tzeentch:** "He'll get over it, otherwise he won't be getting any for the rest of eternity" _She snaps her fingers and the magical binds around the Space Wolves dissipate. _"It appears someone wants to play games with the Imperium. I believe that someone needs to be educated in **who** plays the games around here"_ She grins evilly. _"What say you Leman?"

**Leman Russ:** "I have a horrible feeling I'm only letting myself get suckered into yet another 'just as planned' reveal at the end of this affair … but if it means I get to save Horus' ass then count me in!"


	187. Chapter 187

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN (187)**

**"AND YOU THOUGHT BUS TRAVEL WAS DULL ..."**

_In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only … waiting. No seriously. With the sheer logistics required to move armies from world to world, a vast amount of time spent in the 41st millennium is waiting for the army to arrive at the next world to fight over. Needless to say this is both very boring and very unglamorous, which is why it's generally left out of the stories (by a certain company that shall remain nameless). However, we here at PRIMARCHS love to dive into those moments, for it's when the characters of the dark millennium are at their most bored that we truly see their character._

_Needless to say, the Eldar are no exception to the rule. _

**Taldeer:** "I'm **bored**" _She sighs and continues to attempt to juggle three soulstones above where she sits on the command deck of the Eldar craft._

**Mephiston:** "Find something to entertain yourself with" _Notices the expression out of the corner of her eye. Also he can read her mind (being __**psychic**__). _"Is **that** the first thing you think of?"

**Taldeer:** "Sorry. I recently switched my part-time Path from The Way of the Flower Arranger to the Way of Self Sexual Satisfaction" _She shrugs nonchalantly. _

**Mephiston:** _Blinks._ "That's some change in direction. What were you; **unsatisfied**? Am I that bad or something? Because I definitely felt some **deep satisfaction** coming my empathic way last time we-"

**Taldeer:** "What? No! I mean … look … I'm not sure how to phrase this, but … Eldar men usually … last … longer ..."

**Mephiston:** "How much longer?"

_Taldeer mumbles something almost unintelligible._

**Mephiston:** "**FIVE DAYS?!? CONSTANTLY?!? **You **can't** be serious?!?"

**Taldeer:** _A little embarrassed. _"I'm afraid I am … you see Eldar men are just too arrogant to accept a refractory period. Or muscle fatigue. Or exhaustion. Or anything that gets in the way of good … days-long … sex"

**Mephiston:** _Stares around at the bridge crew subtly listening in to their conversation. _"I want the record to stand that I hate you all and wish you psychic syphilis" _He ignores their laughter. _"Well … I'm sorry I'm a disappointment you Tal. I'll think of something … like transcend into a pure psychic entity ..."

**Macha:** _Popping herself down beside Taldeer. _"I did that once … in a C S Goto book. Not sure how that works" _She frowns._ "It's a bit confusing being involved with conflicting continuities, but I wouldn't want to do that again. The plot holes involved took weeks to come out, and they hurt like a bitch on the way"

**Taldeer:** "Thank you Mach for that charming mental imagery. Anything else you want to admit? Like your long-standing infatuation with the Human Corpse-God?"_ Mephiston clears his throat loudly._ "I'm sorry dear, I forget you find that culturally insensitive"

**Macha:** _Trying to wave away a severe hot flush._ "I do not … I never … I wouldn't **think** of … that's a bad, bad Internet meme! I don't know who started it, but the things I intend to do when I eventually find them ..."

**Taldeer:** "Bore them to death with tales of your continuing millennia-long celibacy campaign?"

**Macha:** "I … that was **mean** Tal! That was mean! Meaner than you telling everyone at the last Seer's council about my extensive wraithbone vibrator collection ..." _Realises what she just said and claps her hands to her mouth in shock. _

**Captain:** _Observing his strange guests from where he stands monitoring the glyph displays. _"Please don't stop. We've still got another five days estimated travel time to Fenrillarimanaliam"

**Mephiston:** "To **where?**"

**Taldeer:** "That's the eldar name for Fenris. It means 'big smelly dog-filled water hole'"

**Mephiston:** "I didn't think it was going to be anything pleasant. Are you **ever **complimentary to **anyone **not eldar?"

_Silence._

**Mephiston:** "Stupid question, I realise ..."

**Taldeer:** "Almost as silly as when you asked why we have such bright colours for our aspect warriors. That from someone who wears bright red armour and rides into battle on bright red tanks"

**Mephiston:** "Do not insult our chapter colours"

**Taldeer:** "Do not insult our aspect colours"

**Mephiston:** "Touché"

_Without warning the ship rocks violently, spilling the three to the ground. _

**Taldeer:** _Picking herself up. _"Captain! What's happening?"

**Captain:** "We've encountered a large presence within the Warp and are moving to avoid encountering it. This may cause some completely unnecessary dramatic action only because we need to blow a certain amount of this chapter's budget on **something** other than your endless drivel of a conversation"

**Taldeer:** "I resent that-" _She frowns, then gasps._ "I sense a large number of psykers out there. Their souls are shining to me like a bad talent show advertisement"

**Captain:** "Daemons?"

**Mephiston:** "No. Their minds are familiar" _His eyes widen._ "Space Marines! Captain, they are space marines! Hundreds of space marine psykers!"

**Taldeer:** "Drop us out of the Warp now!"

**Captain:** "As ordered, my lady" _Gestures with a single hand, and the crew follow his orders flawlessly. _

_The space outside distorts and returns to the familial black with frequent white spots. _

**Captain:** _Studying the charts before him. _"Hmm … this is interesting. I doubt this is by chance, my lady, but by some mysterious fortune we seem to have left space near the known position of the craftworld Otogsc"

**Mephiston:** "Isn't that-?"

**Taldeer:** "Never mind. Captain; establish communications with the craftworld and request that we make use of their Webway facilities immediately. Eldrad needs to know of this space marine psyker army as soon as possible"

**Mephiston:** "Assuming he doesn't already know ..."

_**Fast forward one scene transition …**_

**Eldrad Ulthran:** _Speaking through a holographic display transmitting through a micro webway connection. _"I indeed already know"

**Mephiston:** "Eldrad, you're a dick"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "So people keep telling me, but I do have a reputation as the greatest farseer alive to live up to"

_We find out heroes now standing inside the great council chamber of the craftworld of Otogsc. Several of the elders watch silently as Taldeer speaks with the great Uldrad (well, 'great' in their eyes at least), while Mephiston shuffles around, clearly bored. Macha plays on her WSP (WraithStation Portable) and ignores the headache she got when Taldeer's large arse landed on her._

_**Taldeer:**__ "Hey! I heard that!"_

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "Ignore the narrator and concentrate on the storyline, Taldeer. That psychic fleet is what I feared could be behind this 'Union' nonsense"

**Mephiston:** "What do you mean 'behind' the Union? Isn't the Union under the leadership of the DFG?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "That wouldn't make a very exciting storyline if the bad guys were that obvious, would it? I've been searching for the 'man behind the dead girl', as it were, and I fear I may have found him in the form of the Blood Ravens"

**Mephiston:** "What do those prime-chapter-spot wannabies want?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "I don't know, but outside the Thousand Sons only they can collate so many psykers in one spot, and Magnus' dust kids are kicking around on Fenris as we speak"

**Taldeer:** "Fenris! We need to help Magnus (can't believe I'll ever be saying that …)!"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "This takes priority; I need you to go immediately to Terra and warn my egotistical equal about the danger these Blood Ravens may pose before they make their move. Also take Lorgar with you. The guy needs something to do"

**Lorgar:** "Oh crap. The narrative's found me at last"


	188. Chapter 188

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT (188)**

**"THE HOLES IN THE BACKGROUND"**

_Trying to think of introductions to each chapter is becoming rather difficult lately. What new facet of the _Warhammer 40,000 _background makes no sense this time? What can I comment on before launching straight into the action? How about, for a fictional setting featuring a strangely realistic galaxy-spanning bureaucracy (in other words; it doesn't work at all), we barely get the see the Imperium doing what the Imperium does best: make modern politics look like hyper-efficient quantum algorithm-solving devices:_

_Let us return out attention to the Imperial Palace, where Malcador the Where-The-Hell-Did-I-Come-From-Yet-Somehow-I'm-Critically-Important-To-The-Background-Of-The-Horus-Heresy-Sigilite attempts to negotiate with the Union representatives. Unbeknownst to him our heroes are about to royally screw that up (as they are adept at doing). _

**Malcador the Sigilite:** _Gently sipping on some fine vintage wine grown from the vineyards of a nearby agri-world. _"So, if I am to understand your demands correctly you wish the Imperium to establish-" _Checks his notes to make sure he has the correct wording. _"'A public health system'?"

**Union Rep #1:** _Attempting to look serious and uncompromising, but somehow managing constipated instead. _"Our current health system is an embarrassment to sentient species everywhere! **Feed our sick and elderly to the Tyranids?!?** Who thought that up?"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "The Imperium spends most of its budget on arms manufacture and troop relocations. We can't spare the necessary money to care for those certain to die anyway, so why not use them as meat shields against our more … aggressive foes? Certainly in the time it takes for the average Carnifex to plough it's way through several hundred pensioners (not that we have any kind of pension system established for those too old to work satisfactorily) the equally average heavy weapon team can fire four krak missiles. That's enough to down a Carnifex, lending heavy support (if you'll excuse the pun) to our current system of retirement for the elderly"

**Union Rep #2: **_Outraged. _"It's barbaric!"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "No, barbaric is forcing them to lie on beds that stink of piss twenty four hours of the day watching repeats of the week's soaps endlessly. At least our way puts them out of their misery in a faster manner that aids the war effort of the Emperor's troops"

**Union Rep #3: **_More calm than his colleagues. _"We also demand an average wage to be given to all currently working employees of any and all Imperial industrial organisations"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "Firstly; I hope you're not including the Adeptus Mechanicus in that. You of all people, Steve, should know that the Adeptus Mechanicus is Imperial only in name. Officially they are an allied empire that does not 'answer' to us, so much as 'decide for themselves to do what we politely suggested minutes beforehand'. Pissing off the Cult Mechanicum is not a good idea, considering they don't so much as hold a monopoly on technological development and manufacture in the Imperium as **be** the technological development and manufacture of the Imperium. That toaster that cooked your bread this morning? That bread that went down quite well with the grox slices and Catachan jam?" _He takes a sip. _"One hundred percent AdMech approved" _Looks at Union Rep #2. _"That vibrator you enjoyed last evening to replace the man you left at the restaurant table two hours before because you couldn't stand his continuing talk of Imperial profits margins?" _He smiles at her reddening face. _"Also one hundred percent AdMech approved"

**Union Rep #2: **_Very hot and flustered. _"OK; point well made. Moving swiftly onwards ..."

**Union Rep #1:** "Wait, I want to hear about this guy you stood up at a restaurant and how Malcador knows about it?"

**Union Rep #3: **"Because he **was** that guy you stood up, right?"

_Awkward silence._

**Union Rep #1: **"I think you should leave the room Lucy. Your presence here is unfavourably affecting the negotiations"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** _Grinning. _"No, she should stay. I'd love you to hear my new theories on the new Imperial budget and what it could mean for las-technology investment programs"

**Union Rep #2:** _Sliding into her chair. _"Kill me now"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** _Focusing once more on Union Rep #1. _"Your demands are unfortunately impossible. The current financial structure of the Imperium does not allow for such expenditures as you request" _He smiles. _"Here; I can provide you with the physical facts for your own judgement" _He hands them several data-slates._

**Union Rep #1: **_Stares at the slates for some time, before eventually: _"Erm … they're blank"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "Indeed. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the current financial structure of the Imperium. For rather obvious and understandable reasons Games Workshop elected not to pursue the fictional understanding of a galaxy-wide economic system, so the Imperium currently runs on currency known as 'whatever'" _He leans forward and grins. _"Have fun trying to squeeze a public health system, minimum wage, and compensation pay out of that"

**Union Rep #1: **"I've been working in the Adeptus Administratum for all my life, and only now do I realise I was working with non-existent numbers. The **Dark Eldar** have more background presence than I do! This is an insult! My father worked all his life in the halls of the administratum, and his father before him, and **his **father, and **his**; countless generations dating back to the birth of the Imperium! What have we been doing all our lives? **Sorting blank pieces of paper?!?** The ultimate demonstration of futility, is it not?!?"

**Malcador the Sigilite:** _Sitting back, quite impressed with himself. _"I don't disagree. It's a tough pull to swallow, knowing that everything you've performed in your life is meaningless compared to the misadventures of the average Joe guardsman. Do you not feel insignificant?"

**Union Rep #3:** "Indeed I do ... we should have a Black Library background book dedicated to our efforts! Children everywhere need to know of our struggle! They must be taught the joys of pushing paper!"

**Malcador the Sigilite: **"What say we call off this silly siege and combine forces in order to enlighten 40K players everywhere to the excitement of the Imperial bureaucracy?"

_As the words leave his mouth, the wall beside him explodes and a synth-skin covered shape flies through, brandishing more glowing weaponry than the average level 80 _World of Warcraft_ player. In a blazing display of carnage, the walls are quickly painted red with various gore extracted from multiple parts of the human body._

**Eversor Assassin:** _As he … and excuse the over-used cliché description here; becomes a 'whirlwind of death'. _"IT'S RICHARD TIME BABY!!! OOH YEAH!!! FEELS GOOD, MAN!!!"

_He stops when he realises no one is breathing any more, and the corpses are in too small a pieces to twitch posthumously. Disappointed he retrieves his DS from inside his suit and plays something violent while he wanders off._

_After several seconds the drinks cabinet doors open, and Malcador the Sigilite cautiously creeps out. _

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "Should have known they'd do something stupid like that" _Stares at his 'corpse', in several pieces randomly scattered around the room. _"Poor … whatever her name was. She was a good Callidus; got my nervous twitch down quite well. Too bad she's dead now" _He shrugs. _"Now to find those damn Primarchs and settle this once and for all. There's no telling what kind of **** will be hitting the fan when the Union finds out their representatives are all dead … and I was hoping to have **sex **with one of them too …" _The 'for the first time in half a millennia' comment is left unsaid … except by me. _

_Malcador storms out of the room, with angry intent._

**Malcador the Sigilite:** "Godsdammit Tracy! When I'm finished with you you'll be **begging **to be stripped down to your constituent shamans and shoved back to the stone age!!!"


	189. Chapter 189

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINE (189)**

**"WHAT ELSE WERE YOU EXPECTING THEM TO BE?"**

_Eldar craftworlds are large vessels; Iyanden manages to include small mountain ranges in its lush green parks (at least they were lush before the Tyranids decided to relocate their expansive stomachs). Originally cargo vessels before the impending creation of a warp-spawned hell in exchange for the majority of the Eldar empire necessitated them being turned into make-shift space-borne shanty towns for the refugees. One wonders how much import/export required such large vessels before the survivors of the Fall started adding extra toilets and restaurants (the requirement for __**any**__ decent 'civilised' society. Modern sentient species desire but two things; somewhere clean to crap and somewhere to eat out). Imperial scholars have long postulated the trade between worlds caught up in collective furious … whatever they were doing continuously for several hundred years to create a god such as Slaanesh. _

_**Slaanesh: **__"That's what I would like to know. Khorne was born from the collective nerd rage after _The Phantom Menace_ was released to disappointed audiences everywhere. Nurgle decided to pop out after SARS, avian and pig flu decided to get together, form a band, and tour the world. While Tzeentch … she's always been there, in the background, going-"_

_**Tzeentch:**__"Just as planned" _Smiles at Slaanesh's annoyed expression. _"It's tough being the new kid on the block isn't it?"_

_**Malal: **__"At least she still gets a mention in the current fluff. Someone ran off with my copyright, now I'm just something the old guys pull out to prove their 'veteran' status in some sort of geeky dick-comparing contest"_

_**Tzeentch: **__"I thought you were 'Falal' now?"_

_**Malal: **__"This is me talking __**before**__ I became Falal. It's handy existing outside space and time, you know. For example:_

_**Fred: **__This is me talking as Fred._

_**Falal: **__This is me talking as Falal. _

_**Kalal: **__And this is me talking as Kalal … who won't appear for a while"_

_**Slaanesh: **__"My head hurts …"_

_**Tzeentch: **__"You'll have to forgive my sister; she has trouble wrapping herself around any concept not hot, sweaty, and wanting to copulate"_

_**Slaanesh:**__ "I would object to that generalisation, but she's got a very good point. Can't argue with that" _She frowns for a moment. _"What were we talking about?"_

_**Tzeentch: **__"What sort of ongoing carnal activities would create the God of __Squick__, __**all **__Sex Tropes under the sun-"_

_**Slaanesh:**__"Except __IKEA erotica__, that's just boring"_

_**Tzeentch: **__"Says the second biggest Laurell K. Hamilton fan under the known suns of the multiverse (after Vect)"_

_**Slaanesh: **__"Unbeknownst to her, she __**will**__ become one of my greatest servants" _She rubs her hands together with glee. _"It's only a matter of time"_

_If you guys are quite finished, may I continue with the chapter?_

_**Tzeentch: **__"Sure. I'll take Slaanesh out the back and spank her until she stops enjoying it. Falal/Malal/Whatever, you want to lend a hand?"_

_**Falal:**__ "It's hard to believe, but when you're omni-everything and immortal the finer things in life stop being amusing and you start settling on the cruder forms of humour once again … sure. I'll lend a hand"_

_Yes … I really don't want to go there. As I was saying, the craftworlds are considerably large vessels, and as such have room for a vast number of exciting activities, like mountain climbing, cross-country hiking, and harbouring Eldar-sized egos._

**Taldeer:** "You **can't **possibly expect to share dialogue in a scene with **me**?"

**Kyli: **_Opens her mouth._

**Taldeer:** "No! Get back in the gaps between narrative continuities" _Gives the other Farseer a shove, after which she promptly disappears. _"Greedy bitch. Who does she think she is? A main character?"

**Mephiston: **_Reading what passes for a daily paper amongst Eldar society. _"The nerve" _Points to an article on the crystal data-slate holographic display (alongside which a picture of a happy smiling Banshee exarch continually poses for her picture, occasionally glancing off-camera to shout something harsh at someone). _"What does this rune mean?"

**Taldeer:** _Glances over his shoulder. _"Potato salad"

**Mephiston: **_Frowns._ "That just raises further questions!"

**Taldeer: **_Reading the article in its entirety. _"The Exarch makes a rather pleasant potato salad"

**Mephiston: **"And that's front-page news?"

**Taldeer: **"She's an Exarch; entirely devoted to one path. Making potato salad doesn't appear on the resume of an Aspect warrior. She's doing something 'off-path' and succeeding in it. It's a sign that she's not entirely lost down the Path of the Warrior"

**Mephiston: **"By making potato salad?"

**Taldeer:** "Strictly speaking it's not potato, and neither is it salad. I'm just using something you're familiar with that's the best alternative to what she actually made. At least I believe a potato is the best terran alternative to the _qu'sala_ root"

**Mephiston: **"Would be if potatoes hadn't been made extinct fifteen millennia ago"

**Taldeer:** "So what were those chips made out of, when we were on Baal Secundus the last year?"

**Mephiston: **"Processed human waste" _Grins at the expression on her face. _

**Taldeer: **"I won't ask what the fish was actually made out of …"

**Mephiston: **"Might be for the best" _Glances up as he hears approaching footsteps. _"Ah, Lord Lorgar. You return"

**Lorgar: **"Thank you for stating the obvious, Mephiston. Would you like a bright shiny medal to go along with that stunning display of your perceptive powers?"

**Mephiston: **"And you've brought a crappy attitude with you! Have you got sneak previews of the next _Horus Heresy_ book to feature your legion?"

**Lorgar:** _Stares at Mephiston. _"No, but I don't need your girlfriend's precognition to know that once again my sons will be more two-dimensional than a cartoon" _Sighs._ "No, that's not why I'm annoyed, and you have my apologies for my earlier comment. I've just … Lelith's claimed for divorce"

**Taldeer:** "Oh … we're so sorry to hear that, Lorgar. Why does she … ?"

**Lorgar: **"Well, we only got together because she was confused after C S-" _Sees the expression on Taldeer's face and quickly amends his sentence. _"The Great Enemy wrote her to be a follower of Slaanesh. She came to me seeking advice on how to manage this new faith of hers. Now that is long in the past and practically ignored by everyone with a pulse, she no longer feels a need to follow the God of Squick-"

_**Slaanesh:**__"And I lose another follower to the joys of ret-con. Just like the Iron Warriors …"_

**Lorgar: **"Ahem … anyway; now she's anti-Chaos again that's put certain … **strains** on our relationship. So she's ending it"

**Taldeer: **"I'm so sorry to hear that. I would hug you, but I'm not currently on the Path of Physical Comfort"

_Mephiston rolls his eyes._

**Lorgar: **"That's fine, it's the thought that counts Taldeer" _He sighs again; the big sigh of a man who knows he's going to lose the TV to her. _"So while I avoid the legal proceedings, with those damn Black Library guardians doing all the paperwork-"

**Mephiston: **"Wait … **what?!?**"

**Taldeer: **"Didn't you know? The guardians of the Black Library are lawyers. **Eldar **lawyers on the Path of Legal Proceedings"

**Lorgar: **"The most horrifying force in the galaxy, as Inquisitor Czevak once said. So I'm avoiding them and letting my soon-to-be ex-wife deal with everything"

**Mephiston: **"Are you sure of that?"

**Lorgar: **"I care not. I've resigned myself to the fact she'll get the TV, the DVD collection, and my signed copy of _The Inquisition War_ trilogy … before it was a trilogy and the first book was still called _Inquisitor_"

**Mephiston: **_Trying to puzzle that last one out, turns his head to the windows. _"What's going on outside anyway? Sounds like there's a war being waged"

**Taldeer: **"Probably. Nothing to do with us. When do we leave for Terra?"

**Lorgar: **"As soon as Erebus gets here with my personal battle barge we'll be off. I haven't been able to get in contact with any of my spies on Terra, so I've no idea what the heck's going on"

**Mephiston: **"You have **spies **on Terra?"

**Lorgar: **"All of us do. I know you guys have your own infiltrators amongst the temple crowds on Sicarus, and I'm not too sure about Ghalmek either. Don't look at me like that; it's the nature of a cold war – we all like to keep a close eye on each other"

**Mephiston: **"Fair point; I can't complain too much. I laughed with the rest of the chapter when that video of Abaddon accidentally scratching his ass with the Talon of Horus was posted on WarpTube"

**Lorgar: **_Grins._ "I remember that …"

**Taldeer: **_Staring out the window. _"We better go soon; someone's found a Titan to misuse …"

**Lorgar: **"I love this craftworld – they're Chaos worshippers and they don't even know it yet. Wait until they find my explanatory pamphlets spread around their schools" _Grins. _"Then the **fun **starts!"


	190. Chapter 190

**CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TEN (190)**

**"GOOD THINGS COME IN PAIRS"**

_So large is the Imperial Palace that there exists many areas where scholars, administration staff, and other such individuals making up the workforce of the Adeptus Terra live in blissful ignorance of what happens just two miles down the corridor. An office building where civilisations may rise and fall during the time it takes for one office communication to pass around everybody. In this way, while several parts of the Palace are embroiled in bitter warfare between the office staff and the Adeptus Custodes (surprisingly even. Enough lasgun shots will kill __**anything**__ not Toughness 7+), other parts carry on their dull duties blissfully ignorant of what's happening elsewhere. _

**Adept #78,809,789: **_Placing small piles of bleached paper on the desk before him, alongside the other fifteen piles fifteen times the size. Stares at his desk and sighs, glancing at his watch and sighs again when he realises he still has another four hours before his 7-9 shift ends. _"What so we just throw any request form with a time-stamp of 2 or worse into the trash? It's not like anything's going to get there in time for whatever reason they've asked for it, is there? The buggers are probably all dead by now, or their grandkids aren't and don't give a damn anymore"

**Adept #68,678,688: **_Sitting behind a desk covered in an equal amount of paper._ "That'll still leave about a third of them left you'll have to look through: unless you're planning to shunt them to next door for verification again. You know they'll eventually cotton on and realise that the report they've got now for verification was the same one they had last year, and the year before that, for the last fifty years"

**Adept #78,809,789: **"They haven't so far, or maybe they have and they just don't care. Not like **that's** doing any better" _He jerks his thumb over his shoulder at the motivational poster on the wall behind him._

_A large picture of an equally impressive mountain (possibly Everest before someone stuck the Astronomicon building atop of it) with large writing underneath in bright white and bold High Gothic:_

**THAT MOUNTAIN**

_**CLIMB IT OR WE'LL *********** KILL YOU**_

**Adept #68,678,688: **_Looking at the same poster. _"Good point. Rather a harsh reminder of what our 'beloved' God-Emperor delights in, isn't it?"

**Adept #78,809,789: **"I'd be careful with that attitude, else the-"

_The flash of a teleportation device heralds the sudden arrival of armed individuals wielding various outlandish weapons. In equal speed they remove the head of Adept #68,678,688 in a rather messy and gratuitous manner. The Inquisitor then sheaves the power katana and grins.  
_  
**Inquisitor: **"**No one** expects the Emperor's Inquisition!" _Frowns as Brittany Spears starts blaring out from his pocket, he retrieves his warp-phone. _"Hello? Wait … they're doing **what?!?** With **what?!? **In **what?!? **With **what **as extra toppings?" _Sighs as he pockets the phone. _"Got to go folks; it seems our lord Primarchs are causing more hassle"

**Adept #78,809,789: **"I'll be expecting the inevitable extra paperwork then"

**Inquisitor: **"Do so. The Emperor Expects, after all …" _Points to another motivational poster on an opposite wall. _

_The Emperor Himself smiles at the observer, his hand pointing out of the picture as underneath, in even brighter, bolder High Gothic:_

**THE EMPEROR EXPECTS**

_**YOU TO CLIMB THAT *********** MOUNTAIN**_

**Adept #78,809,789: **"Yes, he does indeed …"

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

_Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Imperial Palace, Hecate and her brother Rogal run down yet another average gothic corridor with the skulls of thousands of previous employees of the Palace grinning down at them as if sharing some private joke. Centuries of graffiti conducted by disillusioned Adepts (possibly before the Inquisition liquidated them) have resulted in a veritable saga of commentary on such topics as life, the universe, and almost everything:_

_**In life we were mere cogs of a vast machine … the machine growled and hissed, sucked in life and spat out servants to the Ego God … two of dimension, they did serve him … JENNA LOVES PETE … and they did march forth in his name to conquer worlds … worship Him not, they did say … DORN SUCKS AT BUILDING FORTRESSES – PERT …**_

_Rogal Dorn stops in his tracks and glances back at the last one._

**Rogal Dorn:** "What the hell? When was he here?In what **continuity**?"

**Hecate:** _Shrugs._ "Who knows? They're contradicting themselves so much these days I'm not sure if I'm left handed or right handed when I wake up in the morning"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Blinks._ "We're primarchs – we're ambidextrous"

**Hecate:** "Since when?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Oh that's right; you've been locked out of the official canon since … the **beginning**"

**Hecate:** _Pats her brother sarcastically on the head._ "Yes dear, do try and remember that I'm glorified fan fiction. I wish I knew about the whole 'ambidexterity' business **before** I was stranded on Gibbous IV after losing a right arm and **seriously** needing to jerk off after the fifth week alone with all my Bunny Boilers dead ..."

**Rogal Dorn:** "I did **not** want to know that ..."

_**Rogal Dorn's Thoughts:**__ "Oh yes I did!"_

**Hecate:** "Oh sorry, it's just that I sometimes think you're my brother; you're doing this so **well**"

_**Rogal Dorn's Thoughts:**__ "Hell yeah; method acting for the win!"_

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

_Meanwhile, elsewhere the palace Rogal Dorn and Hecate are running through gothic corridors … wait … didn't we just do this already?_

**Rogal Dorn:** "No we didn't!"

_But …_

**Hecate:** "No time to get confused; we've only got a short time before Richard is deployed and roundly screws up Malcador's plans. He's not going to be happy with that"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Can't imagine he would. He never liked it when we thought up stuff without him. Once I organised a _Halo_ tournament between us here on Terra and the Eye of … er … Terror (and I realise that line, when said aloud, could be somewhat confusing). He didn't like that. Called it 'fraternising with the enemy'. Of course, this was after the twelfth Black Crusade, so he might have had a point in there somewhere"

**Hecate:** "Who won?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "I'm sorry?"

**Hecate:** "Who won the tournament?"

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

_We interrupt that question for the immediate 'scene break' as we switch from that corridor, to another, almost identical one elsewhere in the palace. Perhaps now you can appreciate how people can get lost and die, alone and forgotten, within the vast and identical interior of the Palace. Many families have shrines dedicated to dear uncle Bob; last seen delivering the daily lunch rota to HR …_

**Horus: **_Adding some extra graffiti to the walls. _"We won; I'm unstoppable on CTF. I ignore everyone around me and just run to that flag, and when I get it I ignore everyone around me and just **run** to base"

**Sanguinius:** _Pausing to think for a moment. _"Just like the Heresy then, I guess?"

**Horus:** _Stops half-way through writing 'THE EMPEROR SUCKS LOLYPOPS IN THE WARP' on the skull of an especially revered servant (voted 'BEST MINDLESS ADEPT 36,352'). _"Yeah … thanks. Need I remind you who kicked who's ass on my barge twenty two miles above this very position?"

**Sanguinius: **"That's because you cheated: warp-infused power-ups are **not** fair play. You can't have **all four** Marks of Chaos!"

**Horus: **"You could in 2nd ed, so suck it"

**Sanguinius:** "I would counter that by commenting on the current state of the Chaos 'dex … but then you'll just remind me about the online abortion of a ruleset **I** have to endure for my boys ..."

**Horus:** "So how **is** that going for you guys? Enjoying your thunderfire cannons? No wait, that's Rob's boys. How about your vanguard veterans? Ah! Again that's the blue boys and their like ..."

_Sanguinius stands and fumes. _

**Horus:** "Where are we going anyway?"

**Sanguinius:** "If we're going to get off this ball of rock in one piece without the gazillion defence lasers burning our thunderhawk into a molten lump we need to disable them. Unfortunately they're divided into separate grids across the planet all with their own control centre and power networks. Each grid has their own security complete with passwords randomized per hour and frequent patrols by robots loaned by the Legio Cybernetica. Those robots are hard wired to Mars control with more firewalls in their head than a hedge maze set alight"

**Horus:** "I'm struggling to see where you're going with this ..."

**Sanguinius:** "So we take down the defence grids by trashing the kitchen of their favourite tau food delivery"

**Horus:** "Genius! Starved of that pseudo-oriental goodness they will have no energy to fire the defence lasers at our escaping vessel! Who thought that up?"

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

_Guess what? Another scene cut, and we're in another-yet-identical corridor (like those old episodes of _Star Trek_ where they didn't have enough money for more than one set). _

**Sanguinius:** "I did of course" _Stares at the other Horus, who is attempting to add graffiti to the walls. _"What are you writing?"

**Horus:** _Turning around._ "Er … 'Chaos is cool'? I feel it's what Horus would write under the circumstances ..."

**Sanguinius:** "No, he'd attempt something elegant and poetic in High Gothic and mess it up royally"

**Horus:** "Ah … shall I attempt to use vulgarities with a language that has 'oh darn' as its harshest word?"

**Sanguinius: **"Later. We need to keep moving. **Our **job is to remove all the toilet paper in the Custodians private sanctum and hope Hecate and Fake Dorn are on time to slip laxatives into their morning coffee"

**Horus:** "I still can't believe the Custodians are siding with Malcador over this"

**Sanguinius:** "I think they're still bitter about dad denying them a pension plan for the last ten thousand years. Which is why we're not using our normal tactics for dealing with people"

**Horus:** "Which is?"

**Sanguinius:** "Kill it with fire"

**Horus: **"Elegant"

**Sanguinius:** "Damn straight. Now keep moving. We're on a limited time schedule here; Richard should have crippled all hope of Malcador from getting his own way and securing a deal with the Union. Malcador won't be impressed after that"

**Horus:** "You're assuming Malcador will survive Richard?"

**Sanguinius:** "Trust me; someone like Malcador **always** survives"

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

_Cut back to Rogal Dorn and Fake Hecate (are you catching on yet?):_

**Rogal Dorn:** "So … are you really a woman or a man?"

**Hecate: **_Walking alongside him. _"Does it matter?"

**Rogal Dorn:** "Not really, I suppose, with polymorphine … on the other hand we are running ahead of schedule here, so we've got some time to fill"

**Hecate: **_Stops and gives Dorn a sly glance. _"What did you have in mind?"

**Rogal Dorn: **_Moving closer, with the best charming smile on his face. _"There's something I always wanted to do"

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S =**

_Yeah, guess what … another cut …_

**Horus: **"Dammit! I'm lost! Which way should we go?"

**Sanguinius: **_Stares down the choices presented to them. _"Hmm … that way looks good. Although that way looks equally likely … dammit we're going to be late"

**Horus: **"Then pick a direction and move! Damn you imperials and your lack of signposts!"

**Sanguinius:** "Oh yes, because we **all** know that the Warp is perfectly organised and labelled for ease of navigation"

**Horus: **"Oh shut up and move you winged pansy"

_They head off down one of the corridors of choice. They meet no one (strangely enough) and after several minutes of running find themselves in a great room of baroque pillars and grinning gargoyles (typical Imperial architecture then)._

**Horus: **"Wait, isn't this the-"

**Horus: **_Running up beside him. _"-communal table-top tennis area? Yeah, I thought I recognised it too" _She shapeshifts back into a callidus assassin. _"Guess there's no reason to pretend to be the arch-idiot-traitor any more"

**Horus: **"Oh … thanks" _Frowns. _"Hey, what's that sound? Sounds like- HECATE WHAT THE **HELL** ARE YOU DOING?!?"

_They round a corner and see Rogal Dorn enjoying Hecate against one of the pillars._

**Hecate: **"I'm not Lady Hecate"

**Rogal Dorn: **_Not looking round, and caught up in the moment. _"But she is for the moment!" _Turns around. _"OH ****!" _Tries to disengage in a hurry, which proves a little … awkward …_

_As per comic timing, the real Hecate and the false Rogal Dorn walk in as the real Dorn writhes on the floor with the callidus assassin._

**Hecate: **_Realising what was happening. _"Oh … my … Imperial … Truth ..."

**Fake Rogal Dorn:** _Shapeshifting back to the standard callidus assassin. _"Men; not even blood will stop them"

**Horus:** "Hey! I resent that! I have no sexual attraction to my sister whatsoever!"

**Rogal Dorn:** _Disengaging himself from the callidus assassin. _"Yeah; that's because you fancy San"

**Sanguinius:** _Gives Horus a look. _"Not in this universe I'm tapping that ass"

**Horus: **_Gives Sanguinius an equally filthy look. _"This ass does not want to be tapped by you anyway. Get your feathered pansy self away from my awesome body now or we're going to have a repeat of Horus versus Sanguinius round one and we all know how **that** ended up"

**Librarian Isador Akios: **"Much like how **this **encounter will end, oh venerate Lord of Gross Stupidity?"

_All turn to witness the arrival of hundreds of red armoured astartes, at the head of which walk Librarian Isador Akios (wait, isn't he dead?), Captain Gabriel Angelos, and Inquisitor Mordecai Toth (who we recognise as the Inquisitor from the beginning of this chapter). _

**Captain Gabriel Angelos: **"Hey up bitches; the Angelos is here"

_FAN GIRLS SCREAM _

**Captain Gabriel Angelos: **"Oh yeah"

**Horus: **"What the hell?!? Blood Ravens?!? What are **you** all doing here?"

**Sanguinius: **"I believe **they** are the reason we're all in this situation, am I right Malcador?"

_Malcador squeezes past the large bulk of Angelos to face the primarchs._

**Malcador:** "Indeed. Primarchs; you have been found guilty of being insufferable assholes! Prepare to face the Emperor's judgement!"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **_Appearing from nowhere. _"Wait a second. Surely only **I** can issue the Emperor's judgement? **I AM THE GODS-DAMNED EMPEROR!!!**"

**Malcador:** "And that's the only reason why I keep you around, you pitiful egotistical excuse for a Mary Sue"

**EMPEROR OF MANKIND!: **"I'm **not** a Mary Sue; all the developers just happen to have a massive man-crush on me"

_As the two sides face off in intense silence (punctuated only by Hecate throwing Rogal Dorn looks that would destroy galaxies if made into energy manifest) a large hole appears in reality and several figures burst through._

**Taldeer:** "OK that is the **last** time I use Plot-Convenient-Webway tunnels to travel. I **swore** we passed Cegorach back there. He seemed to be laughing at us"

**Lorgar:** "Darling, I hope I don't have to point out that Cegorach laughs at **everyone**. Including you guys. Last time he was around for tea he spilled the beans on why he thinks your species is the biggest joke in the universe"

**Taldeer:** "He never told **me** that!"

**Mephiston:** "Maybe that spoils the joke?"

**Horus: **"Oh. Hi guys. Are you the deus ex machina to help us out of this situation, because we frankly don't need it. Thank you for thinking of us; now piss off"

**Taldeer:** "And people wonder **why** the whole universe wants to kill your species ..."


	191. Chapter 191

_We take a small breather from the unrelenting action of these past few chapters (hah; I realise I might be slightly ironic here to some people) to move our gaze outside space and time, where there is no narrative, where canonical material is a moot issue, and where tropes sit back, have a smoke, and enjoy a day off for a change. In this gap between realities, anything is possible and has no bearing on any written work, official fiction or fan created. _

_Perfect for a prophesied rendezvous …_

**Eldrad Ulthran: **_Entering a room that does not exist, to face a bed that doesn't exist either, where one stunned farseer sits bolt upright, her face going deep red. _"You know what time it is, Kyli? It's 'just as ...'" _He pauses, as he notices the lump of sheets below her waist is larger than it should be for a female eldar in her prime (not that eldar ever get 'past' their prime …). _"You brought company? One of your female friends for our little … 'pleasure'" _Smirks._

_The sheets are pulled away as Kyli runs to the non-existent door._

**Kyli: **"NO!!! DON'T LOOK AT ME!!!" _Screaming with near hysterics (eldar are good at the drama, it must be said)._

**Asdrubael Vect:**_Watching her depart with a confused expression on his face. _"Why do they always say that?" _Looks over at a stunned Eldrad. _"Oh well, fancy finishing me off Eldrad old chap?"

**Eldrad Ulthran: **_Barely containing his increasing rage. _"NOT … AS … PLANNED!!!"

_We now bring you our main feature:_

= = = P*R*I*M*A*R*C*H*S = = =

**DAWN OF WAR ARC**  
**PART II - POLYGON INVASION**  
**  
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN (191)**

**"HELL HATH NO FURY ..."**

_Deep within the Imperial Palace, certain main characters face off against the revealed foe of this current arc – the Blood Ravens space marine chapter!_

**Rogal Dorn:** _Attaching bits of his armour as the callidus assassin beside him tries in vain to avoid the deadly looks thrown at her by an incensed Hecate. _"Which begs the question: why? Why have you spent so much effort developing the Union, plunging the galaxy into civil war, and crippling the Imperial war machine … oh. I think I just answered my own question"

**Captain Gabriel Angelos: **"You have indeed. Want to continue? It'll save us the effort of looking like a Bond villain by describing our master plan for the audience's benefit"

**Eldrad Ulthran: **_Stepping forward out of the shadows. _"No need; for I have forseen it all! My unrivalled powers of prescience have allowed me to see far into the future and gaze upon not only your plans, but the far-reaching consequences of them!"

**Taldeer: **"Eldrad! Where have you appeared from?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "If you were a **true** farseer you would already know the answer to that"

**Taldeer: **_Places her fingers either side of her head. _"I'm using my awesome powers of scrying to gaze deep into the future … I see a certain eldar … an old fart … still being the huge dick he is today"

**Eldrad Ulthran: **"I saw that too, so you can't be too bad at this" _Turns his gaze to Angelos. _"Allow me to explain your diabolical scheme for these pathetic creatures-" _Jerks a thumb over his shoulder at the primarchs._ "-and to increase my own magnificent ego in the process. Like killing two gretchin with one shuriken disc, I suppose. Not that I'm not more than capable of killing **hundreds** of gretchin with but a flick of the wrist-"

_Taldeer does some wrist shaking of her own, to which Mephiston nods in solemn agreement. _

**Eldrad Ulthran: **"-but I digress. You see; the Blood Raven's plan was magnificently simple. Attack the Imperium where they are weakest: their disillusioned masses. Convince the populace to rise up against the Emperor, and you shall bring the Imperium to its knees! We eldar would have done that millennia ago, but we had more important matters to attend to-"

**Horus:** "Your hair?"

**Eldrad Ulthran:** "I shall ignore that comment. My hair is, has been, and will always be stunningly perfect. But enough talking – your plan has reached its end result: a confrontation with the greatest warriors of our time! Primarchs – destroy these usurpers!"

_There's a strange silence where a rallying war cry should be heard as everyone stares at Eldrad in confusion. Eventually …_

**Horus:** "You're another callidus assassin aren't you?"

_Eldrad shifts and alters his appearance, turning from an arrogant old eldar to an arrogant old human instead (a slight improvement, it must be said)._

**Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum:** "Thank you Horus, as if it was needed to be announced in front of the enemy. Got any bright ideas?"

_The great doors into the room burst open as Vulkan, Angron, Corax and Jaghatai Khan tumble into the room in their haste to be included in the main plot. Asdrubael Vect calmly follows in their wake._

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Hi guys. Anyone missed me?"

**Horus: **"Not really, but now you're here you can watch me save the day again"

**Vulkan:** _Picking himself up from the floor. _"Nice that you have so much confidence brother. Too bad you've so far lacked the skills to back those egotistical statements up" _Gestures towards the Blood Ravens. _"Who are these guys?"

**Corax:** "Isn't that one of Magnus' illegitimate chapters he left lying around the place after a week-long romantic break with Falal at the Venusian love resort? I heard he had to do something with all the kids they made"

**Angron:** "Why is it Fulgrim's Slaanesh's little bitch, when the guy barely seems to get any, while the gods-damn **nerd** gets more action than porn stars?"

_Go figure._

**Vulkan:** "I think the narrator answered your question for you Angron. Besides that's off-topic in a thread that's already pissing on the boundaries of 'topic'. You realize this all started because someone just innocently asked in the background forums what we were up to since the Heresy?"

**Horus: **"And we answered it, your point being?"

**Vulkan:** "My point-"

**Captain Gabriel Angelos: **_Clears his throat very loudly. _"Excuse me? Can we get back to the main plot? As amusing as all these side-snipes are, they're nothing more than filler and we've had plenty of that already. This gods-damn arc was supposed to be **shorter **than the ruddy Plot Hole venture, and we all know where **that** went!"

**Mephiston: **"I don't"

**Horus: **"And you shouldn't either, Angelos! Where did you get knowledge of the Plot Hole?"

**THE PLOT HOLE!: **"WHERE DO YOU THINK, FOOLS?!?"

_Everyone gasps, dramatic music plays in the background, and Horus looks confused._

**Horus: **"But … we **killed **you … or at least wrote you out of our universe by ret-conning away several years of background development (whether or not that was a good idea depends on if you like the sound of Marneus Sue Calgar falcon-punching avatars)"

**THE PLOT HOLE!: **"TRUE, AND A VALIANT ATTEMPT THAT WAS! HOWEVER, YOU FAILED TO SECURE THE NARRATIVE CONTINUITY OF **ALL** YOUR FRANCHISE. THE COMPUTER GAME SPIN-OFFS ARE STILL RIFE WITH BAD SCRIPT WRITING, AND POOR CHARACTERISATION, AS THESE TWO-DIMENSIONAL FOOLS BEFORE ME TESTIFY!"

**Captain Gabriel Angelos: **"Excuse me?"

**THE PLOT HOLE!: **"QUIET; I'M MONOLOGUING HERE. IT WAS A SIMPLE MATTER OF INFLUENCING THESE FOOLS INTO DESTROYING YOUR EMPIRE AND BRINGING YOU TO YOUR KNEES!"

**Sanguinius: **"Wait! That means!"

_The Plot Hole begins to form into a familiar face, dressed in horrifying pink with flowers in her hair._

**Aerith/Aeris/DFG: **"Surprise! Didn't see that one coming did you?"

**Taldeer: **"Well actually-"

**Aerith/Aeris/DFG/THE PLOT HOLE: **"Quiet bitch. No one's interested in your opinions! Now accept your defeat and bow before me!"

**Horus: **"I don't think so! We defeated you before, and we shall do again! PRIMARCHS – charge!"

_With a great war cry the Primarchs leap forwards, brandishing weapons and looking generally fierce. A great RIP happens across the fabric of narrative, and our heroes find themselves bloodied and beaten, writhing on the ground in pain._

**Angron:** "What the **hell?** I haven't been this badly treated since _Galaxy in Flames_!"

**Vulkan:** "What did she do? I have these vague memories of every bone in my body being broken … by **daffodils!?!**"

**Aerith/Aeris/DFG/THE PLOT HOLE: **"You forget; I am the incarnation of badly written fiction. There's no glaringly obvious error in editing that I cannot mimic. There's no asspull that I cannot retrieve from the bowels of poor fanfiction. There's is no defeating me, especially when I took the liberty of destroying Alan Merrett's laptop and those ridiculous Key Aspects of Narrative off the scope of the story's narrative"

**Hecate:** "She can do that?!?"

**Aerith/Aeris/DFG/THE PLOT HOLE: **"I can do anything, remember. Now, I'm going to-"

**Taldeer:** _Painfully pushing herself to her feet. _"WAIT! We have … we have ..." _She frowns as she reaches between realities to find nothing. _"Where is that girl … come out now! Dramatic narrative demands it!"

**Kyli: **"I'm not coming out! I'm busy in another narrative being **awesome**, where I'm not screwed over in **this** continuity with poor character choices!"

**Taldeer: **_Sighs._ "Oh your poor thing. Come out and I'll let you in a little secret that'll make you feel better" _Looks at the Plot Hole. _"Do you mind?"

_The Plot Hole shrugs._

**Aerith/Aeris/DFG/THE PLOT HOLE: **"Hey, take your time. We're already over the character count for a single post on Warseer anyway ..."

_Kyli tentatively steps out into this narrative, and glares at Vect, before glaring equally at Taldeer._

**Kyli: **"So?"

**Taldeer: **"Could everyone please close their eyes? Yes, **everyone. **You too Horus! **And **you Mephiston, honey" _She makes sure all eyes are closed before continuing. _"OK, could everyone that has slept with Vect please raise their hands?"

_Slowly, tentatively, and with no certain amount of crippling embarrassment, everyone's hands rise into the air (including Vect. Go figure). Taldeer adds her own hands to the collective._

**Kyli:** "Really?"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Shrugging._ "What can I say? I'm the greatest man-whore in this universe"

**Aerith/Aeris/DFG/THE PLOT HOLE: **"Or any other"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Winks at her. _"But I was **good**, right?"

**Kyli:** _Looking around her. _"So … this was … what? A rite of passage for this universe?"

**Taldeer:** "More like a cheap joke at everyone's expense, but I like your description better. OK everyone, hands down and open your eyes"

**Hecate:** "Why did you bother asking for anonymity? I **know** all my brothers have slept with Vect, I was **there** when it happened!"

**Asdrubael Vect:** _Looking back._ "Best night of my life ..."

**Kyli: **_Disgusted. _"Oh … gross. It's one of **those **chapters today is it?"

_Not really. I've had that joke in my mind since Vect first strolled on. I just waited for an opportune moment to spring it on everyone._

**Asdrubael Vect:** "Just like-"

_Quiet Vect. Talk time is over._

**Taldeer: **"But enough of this digression! Kyli – use Eldrad's staff to summon forth a deus ex machina to save the day!"

_Cue dramatic music._

**Kyli: **"Indeed! By the power bestowed upon me by the greatest seer of all, He With The Infinite Ego, Lord of Snark, Who Is A Dick, I use this power to banish you forever foul Plot Hole! Abomination of all great tales to be read in any situation!" _She raises the Staff of Ulthuan and points it at the Plot Hole. Summoning force her great psychic energies, she channels the fury of the Warp through the conduit._

_A small note pops out of the end. Kyli reaches down and looks at it._

**Kyli:** "'You should have slept with me. Now you're all going to be ****ed'" _Looks up from reading the note. _"Eldrad you c-"

**Aerith/Aeris/DFG/THE PLOT HOLE: **"ENOUGH OF THIS! GET OUT OF MY UNIVERSE! BEGONE TO THE FAR CORNERS OF THESE BLAZING WORLDS!"

_Reality is ripped asunder, and the primarchs find themselves flying through time, space, narratives, and endless possibilities away from each other._

_**Hecate: **__"BROTHERS!!!"_

_**Sanguinius: **__"TAKE MY HAND!!!"_

_**Vulkan: **__"I CAN'T REACH!!!"_

_**Angron: **__"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT HORUS!!!"_

_**Horus: **__"WHAT HAVE I DONE __**NOW?!?**__"_

_And so on … until they fade into the distance. The hall is now slightly emptier, and Kyli looks around in confusion. _

**Kyli: **"Erm … guess you won't be needing me anymore. I'll just be off ..."

_As Kyli slips from existence, the Plot Hole surveys her work, and smiles to herself._

_Elsewhere, a certain being watches all this unfold with an emotion she hasn't felt for a long time. Staring into a universe now changed by the sudden removal of all main characters, she feels alone and afraid since she first became self-aware in a universe that still thought VHS was the cutting edge of new technology._

**Tzeentch: **"Oh dear … that **wasn't** just as planned ..."

**= P = R = I = M = A = R = C = H = S = ? =**

_Angron slowly gets to his feet, feeling his aching head with one human-sized hand. Looking around, he sees nothing but the inside of a cavernous hollow in the earth lit by the florescent glow of small insects. He looks down at himself, and is surprise to see the lack of a daemonic body. He's now Angron the gladiator once again._

**Angron: **"What? Where am I?"

_A voice calls out from the darkness: _"In my domain; the chamber of my pain" _The shadows part, to reveal the chitin-covered body and face of _**Sarah Kerrigan: **"Angron, what are you doing here? I thought we agreed it was over?" _She looks him over. _"Although I must say you're looking good. All those constantly bleeding wounds were a little turn-off, I'll admit"

**Angron: **"Wait … I'm in **your **world?"

**Sarah Kerrigan: **"Yes dear, why?"

**Angron: **"I have to find the others, have you seen them around here?"

**Sarah Kerrigan: **"No, I've only found you. I think my children would notice your noisy brothers stumbling around our home"

**Angron: **"Your children? Oh … the zerg … so it's just me ..." _He sighs. _"Oh damn … they're lost in other worlds ..."

**Sarah Kerrigan: **"And that's a bad thing? No offense but surely your universe would be better without your brothers? (Although your sister is a sensible girl ...)"

**Angron: **"You don't understand; the primarchs are **out there, unattended**, **in other people's fictional worlds!**"

**Sarah Kerrigan: **"Oh … shit"

**END OF ARC**


	192. Chapter 192

And that is all folks, I'd like to thank Shadownet, the Lastie Inquisition's Keeper of Chronicals for providing the full story.

Lastie did originally start a sequel but the thread was closed due to spam.

There is an alternate version of primarchs posted by Xeno Major, here is the link; .net /s/5483979/1/ PRIMARCHS_by_Lastie , just remove spaces, it is posted in groups of ten chapters I think.

All hail Lastie; Chaos God Emperor of Fankind.


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